Long-term care

Watching Panorama on Monday night was for me, as for everyone I think who saw It,  a distressing experience. Witnessing people demonstrate such scant regard for a fellow human being’s dignity, comfort  and feelings makes us all shake our heads in horror. And then  we see an actual assault committed by a strong young man on a defenceless frail person which moves us to outrage and calls to bring back the gallows (or so many on Twitter seem to be advocating).

As cross-party talks on care proceed and Whitehall teams work away on a White Paper for Social Care, many people who use care services feel detached from the decisions that affect their lives.

The Health Select Committee published a report today, on social care. It's a welcome contribution - and echoes much of JRF's research on how to improve the quality of care.

Let’s hope 2012 is a better year for the social care sector. The issue of funding long-term care is dominating the New Year headlines following last year's Dilnot Commission. This can only be good news. The issue needs to be kept alive in the public arena so that we reach the political consensus we so desperately need to solve one of the most challenging problems of our time.

For decades we have known that we are living longer, and that the coincidence of this with the ageing of the baby boomer generation means that we have both an opportunity and a challenge. That challenge has not been taken: pensions, social care, the retirement age, the notion of transition have all been filed in the 'too difficult tray’. The debate about ageing, and in particular the policy responses to it, has induced paralysis.

Today sees the publication of interim findings from a JRF research project – 'Not a one way street' – which examines support for older people based on a simple idea. Why not harness the talents and assets of older people who need support and create mutually beneficial relationships for those involved?

'Truly appalling and truly shocking' is how Amanda Sherlock, Care Quality Commission's Director of Operations, has described the CQC findings on care for older people in 100 hospitals.

Few would disagree – even though there are good stories to be shared about the hospitals that do get this right (45 of the 100 hospitals were fully compliant with dignity and nutrition standards), and do have a culture of kindness and respect.

'Whose responsibility?' is an 18-month research project which considers the roles and responsibilities of different organisations involved in housing with care (HWC) schemes and their impact on the quality of life of older people. It is one of three studies into HWC that are being funded as part of the Better Life programme. 

This autumn is a critical time to shape the future of care in England, as the government prepares its White Paper (promised for spring 2012) on the future and funding of adult social care.

We've had the Coalition Government's Vision for adult social care.

We've had the Dilnot Commission's report on paying for social care.

We've had the Law Commission's report on reforming adult social care law.

Now it is decision time.

The Law Commission has just published the conclusions from its review of law on adult social care in England and Wales. This is a good news story. It represents a significant step towards achieving a single, modern and progressive statute on adult social care for each of England and Wales.