Social Care Reform and help got the elderly

2028 apparently

It definitely is a nettle that needs grasping. I wish the Commission well in coming up with a sustainable way forward.
It looks like the plans will be stepped, and it’s good to see money now to carry out adaptations, which I know from experience is one of the factors that keep people in hospitals or care far too long. Attracting carers to provide home care is the other key challenge.

Boris was going to tackle social care but did absolutely nothing. It is definitely an issue that needs addressing. Let's hope that whoever is in Government in 2028 actually puts it into practice, once and for all.

This will be a massive task, but it is something that can no longer be avoided, if we want reform to our health system which unless we tackle this will never succeed.

So much could be done by a hood care system which would prevent so many of the elderly sat in hospital beds needlessly, both by never entering hospital in the first place given good care, nor sat blocking beds as they wait for care to be found.

Personally I would like to see something along the lines of a comprehensive insurance package.

I wonder what happens in other countries?

I must have a look.

“Alongside the launch of the commission today, ministers will announce more investment in the Disabled Facilities Grant, allowing people to apply for funding for work such as widening doors, improving access, installing ramps or stairlifts, or building an extension.
An £86m boost for 2024-25 was on top of the £86m announced at the budget for 2025-26 and brings the annual total to £711m. About 7,800 more elderly and disabled people could benefit, ministers said.
Care workers will also be trained to perform further duties, such as blood pressure checks, reducing the need for patients to travel to their doctor or clinics.”

Where will the money to fund this explosion in care come from?

Providing care is very expensive and if care workers are more highly skilled, they should expect to be paid an appropriate rate.

The reason that government after government keeps kicking the can down the road, is because of the cost of funding proper care.

A report in 2028 will enable this government to go into the next election, vaguely promising to do domething about care after they are re-elected and assuming they are re-elected, delay the implementation until another 5 years dowwn the road.

The funding model is what the Commission is to determine Monica. Regardless of which government we have, surely that nettle has to be grasped?

Casdon

The funding model is what the Commission is to determine Monica. Regardless of which government we have, surely that nettle has to be grasped?

Nothing can happen until that decision is made.

I’m still for a form of government backed insurance, but I am open to persuasion😊

I’m glad they have gone for a commission to determine what the model will be, because it’s cross party. We can only hope that the parties all prioritise developing a sustainable model that they can live with going forward.

Whitewavemark2 not sure about a Government backed insurance, could be a gateway to insurance needed for certain parts of NHS, Dentistry, Physio etc., beginning of a slippery slope.

Re bed blocking in hospital. A friend was recently in hospital for a few days with chest infection. On the day he was discharged he sat on the chair beside his bed all day until almost teatime waiting to go home. This was due to waiting for medications from the hospital pharmacy. The bed was not being used by anyone but until he left couldn't be allocated to anyone. Multiply that going on in hospitals all over the country.....what a waste!!!!!

Yes thats been the case for a long time, the pharmacy wait.

I'm glad the government is putting money into it in the short term not waiting for the results of the enquiry.

I don't understand enough about the funding suggestions to comment but really glad they have a cross party approach making a start.

The only way I can see them adequately funding a proper care system is by continuing NI into post state-pension years.

What other insurance, with a medical/care element, would sell itself on the basis that as you get into your most expensive years, you can stop paying and have all your medical care free, but that care has to be paid for by you if in any way it can be designated "social" care?

travelsafar

Re bed blocking in hospital. A friend was recently in hospital for a few days with chest infection. On the day he was discharged he sat on the chair beside his bed all day until almost teatime waiting to go home. This was due to waiting for medications from the hospital pharmacy. The bed was not being used by anyone but until he left couldn't be allocated to anyone. Multiply that going on in hospitals all over the country.....what a waste!!!!!

That is very bad practice. My DH had a similar experience waiting for medication from the morning when he was told he could come home until about 4pm, however there was a discharge waiting room. It was his birthday too and we only had time with him from around 5pm.

I’d welcome some kind of insurance scheme. Even now, on my pension, I’d prefer to pay a monthly amount knowing that quality care would be there if I needed it.

At the moment I’m afraid to spend money in case I need it in the future and find myself doing calculations about how many weeks I could afford before the savings and the house sale ran out.

I've a feeling many would agree if the think about it Lathyrus3.

Not only would it stop the worry about unknown future costs but it would lead, hopefully, to quicker hospital treatment. I'd like to think it would lead to more preventative and early social prescribing too.

A commission is just a way of delaying having to implement changes, what is needed is more funding. Social care is already means tested, how is an insurance based system going to be better for those that don’t have insurance.

Which ever way it is dressed up more money needs to be found to fund a better care system.

David49

A commission is just a way of delaying having to implement changes, what is needed is more funding. Social care is already means tested, how is an insurance based system going to be better for those that don’t have insurance.

Which ever way it is dressed up more money needs to be found to fund a better care system.

It will take more money David but it's not clear what changes need to be implemented overall, I don't agree this is a case of delaying on a clear set of proposals.

“Another review?” said Himself. “We all know it’s broken!”.
He’s very disappointed in Wes Streeting.
“All mouth and no trousers then”.

However way you look at it we have to agree that it will need funding by us.

Nothing is free.

Private insurance to cover care home costs is available, but it is extremely expensive.
30 years ago we looked into such insurance after my FIL died and we could see that in the future MIL might need care, although quite well at the time. The premium then was £18000, with quite a few exclusions. Goodness knows what it would be now.
She wouldn’t take it out despite being able to afford it, she was very independent minded!

Overview

In Europe, social care is primarily funded through a mix of government taxation, compulsory contributory health insurance schemes, and sometimes individual contributions, with the specific details varying across countries, but generally relying heavily on public funding through social security systems; the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) also plays a role in supporting social care initiatives across member states

Casdon

The funding model is what the Commission is to determine Monica. Regardless of which government we have, surely that nettle has to be grasped?

That’s the second time you’ve said ‘the nettle needs to be grasped’ which is a phrase beloved of politicians usually when they have no intention whatsoever in grasping it.
A commission is just another way of putting things off for years, in this case four years.After that there will no doubt be some sort of think tank set up to discuss the findings.Either Labour will be re-elected or another government will be the ones to also fail to grasp it.
I thought this new government were going to tackle ‘ the big issues’ as they constantly talked about it but have the sinking feeling that tinkering around the edges and blethering about black holes is all they will do.

Could do with some of Streeting’s hot air here this morning. It's freezing.🥶