Back in the House today for the first time since March…a glorious summer in Italy and a lovely spring and so far a sunny autumn in Norfolk. Returning then with some ambivalence about spending these mid-weeks in London but the draft Social Care Bill has arrived and will go into pre-legislative scrutiny later this autumn, up my street you might say, so conscience has driven me in.
This morning the ‘seminars’ began on the likely impact of the Bill; set up to inform and stimulate debate in members of the house before we get started. The Bill team from the DH were all there and today we heard from carers’ groups about their likes and dislikes about the draft. On the whole, the consolidation of various piecemeal bits of legislation is welcome but it sounds as if the Bill may need some tweaking round the edges. I am less sure about the capping proposals for long term care funding….I am always suspicious when all parties are agreed on something! But when I saw how long the timetable is…six months at least for ‘pre-leg’ scrutiny, another six months to get the Bill before the House I realise we’ll be looking at 2014 for implementation at the earliest. Social Care is in a parlous state in many areas of the country. At the risk of upsetting the NHS I would not hesitate to transfer monies now from the health budget into direct personal and domestic care budgets, where we would get much better value for money sustaining the most frail and dependent older people in their own homes than on recurrent admissions to hospital and so called emergencies which are the result of inadequate care service provision.
Latest research shows that (“our”) Rich are getting more numerous and richer than ever whilst “our” Poor are getting also more numerous but poorer;
so who is going to get your
“much better value for money by sustaining the most frail and dependent older people”
“in their own homes”
(To start with that sounds like it is the wealthiest, the owners of their own homes, that are the unhealthiest).
How about the much greater number(s) of poor elderly who have to rent or be in closed “sheltered” accommodations ?
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The standard of professional knowledge and life-know-how of the prevailing home-visiting Professional Carers is truly abysmal
long term care funding
The question is how to save by keeping people at home until the last possible moments, by having a detailed network of peripatetic carers.
Two facts: the need to save and the need to provide dignity, self respect to those nearing the end, IN THEIR OWN HOMES.
Another fact is the need to provide good olives for olive oil. The apple crop did not happen this year in the West of England, so no drunkenness in December!
Latest research shows that (“our”) Rich are getting more numerous and richer than ever whilst “our” Poor are getting also more numerous but poorer;
==============
1. Importing poor.
2. Taxes.
3. No saving.
John, who was in financial difficulty, walked into a church … ”You’re starting to disappoint me, God,” he said. … The clouds opened up and a booming voice said, ”John, meet me half way, buy a lottery ticket.
If you don’t save, you won’t become rich.
I’ve no time for people who won’t save.
Now for people who can’t save, because they are poor. Look at them and you will find that
1. They are taxed, and tax is their major expense.
2. They are forced to ‘save’ with the government. Here if they were allowed to keep their money and save it, they would be 400% better off. The government effectively taxes them 80% of the returns.
All roads lead to the fraudsters in Westminster.
“”Social Care is in a parlous state in many areas of the country””
Many old folk are unaware of the extent of Social care available to them in the community, re regular visits and so on, and cannot believe that the state would do so much for them without payment.
Those who have to give up their homes to pay for residential care in a “Home” would probably much prefer to stay in their own home. Those payment requirements are quite complicated, as where the burden should be taken on.
As you were one of the team on passing of the Bill for the privatisation of the NHS, along with one Freddie Curzon, I would have to have severe misgivings for all the recipients of this benefit package.
More importantly why are Labour and the Lib-Dem’s not slamming this into the ground as they should be.
Call for a general election on the ‘no confidence’ clause and get rid of this lot now. Just because they decided to give themselves a five year stint doesn’t mean you should be going along with it. Why would you?
The people of this country deserve better than this bunch of con artists.
We missed you! Welcome back.
@Capet Shampoo:
Get rid of that handle, it’s a loser.
I think @Carpet shampoo might have been a bit of spam that sneaked its way through…!