Stockport Labour Group

STOCKPORT LABOUR CONSULTATON RESPONSE CALLS FOR END TO ‘CAN KICKING’ ON SOCIAL CARE

SLG

Stockport Labour have called for the Government to urgently come up with a solution to the funding of adult social care, as part of the Local Government Association’s consultation response. The response to the LGA’s ‘lives we want to lead’ Green Paper, has called for a funding solution to be found urgently, and the bringing about of a National Care Service available free at the point of need and funded in accordance with population needs.

The Green Paper proposes a range of funding options, however Stockport Labour have called for the Health and Social Care to be funded through progressive forms of taxation (National Insurance and Income Tax), in order to deliver care in accordance with need and an end to charging in the care system.

Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Cllr Wendy Wild Said:

“As part of this consultation response we highlighted a number of things we’ve done to improve the working conditions of carers, integrate health and social care teams and protect both the funding of and the frontline in Adult Social Care in Stockport.

“However a sustainable and fair solution requires a proper Government response. So far they have focussed on allowing Councils to charge ad-hoc social care precepts.

“Council Taxation is a regressive and insufficient means to fund social care, creating a post code lottery in Care.  Funding is not moved around the country to where people need it, quite the opposite – more wealthy Councils tend to have fewer people needing Council support.

“Adult social care is our single largest area of expenditure. If Local Authorities were able to stop worrying about resourcing adult social care- more could be made available for roads, infrastructure, parks and leisure.

“Greater concentration on these areas would act to reduce demands upon adult social care as proper resourcing in these areas has positive impacts upon the wellbeing of the population.

“Furthermore, a proper funding solution would help reduce pressures on the NHS, as well as easing the burdens upon informal carers.

“The Department for Health is now called the Department for Health and Social Care – it is time national Government started behaving as if this meant something.  The two directly impact each other in terms of demand and should not be treated separately in policy or funding terms.

“If we had the Social Care crisis we have now in the 1940’s, we would have a National Health and Social Care service. It is time Government started to think big in relation to problems we face, rather than ignoring them and kicking the can down the road. ”

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