Press Release
20th July 2009
Disabled people must not be overlooked in social care debate
Commenting on Shaping the Future of Care Together, Su Sayer, Chief Executive of United Response, said:
"There needs to be a proper public debate on the future of social care, which is why the publication of this green paper is so important. The demand for social care continues to rise, partly as a result of demographic changes and increasing life expectancy, and we need to work out as a society how to fund it in the years to come, a question made even more pressing by the current economic situation.
"The paper lays out some bold proposals which will need to be carefully considered and debated in the months to come, however it does not appear to place enough emphasis on how these proposals will affect the lives of disabled people below retirement age. This will need to be resolved.
"Finding the right answer is not going to be easy, which is why everyone involved in social care - including central Government, local authorities, care providers and the general public - need to think not only about how to fund this growing need but also how to use the money that exists more creatively and more effectively.
"Investment in early intervention is one example, where providing just a few hours of support to someone with a moderate learning disability can be a lifeline. Failing to invest in that support, however, can not only damage quality of life, but can lead to deterioration in both mental and physical health, costing the taxpayer more in the long run. This is a false economy at a time when we can least afford one, and yet many local authorities are currently withdrawing support from people with moderate needs.
"In 2007, Ivan Lewis – the then care services minister – called the way we used to treat people with learning disabilities "a scandal which disfigured our society." Abandoning the progress made and going backwards would be even more scandalous, which is why we must continue to make our arguments for a strong, properly funded and efficient social care system."
United Response case study - Alice's story
Alice is in her forties and has Down's Syndrome. She lives at home with her mother, who has recently been diagnosed with dementia. She is assessed as having moderate needs, and as such falls below the threshold where many local authorities provide support. Until recently, she received three days of support through a day service, but this recently closed.
Alice cannot travel independently and needs support with daily living activities such as cooking, managing money and travelling. Without support, she is at risk of increasing social isolation and deteriorating mental and physical health. Timely intervention now, to help her develop independent living skills, could prevent her needing far more intensive and expensive care in the future
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For more information please contact Sarah Bartlett or Jaime Gill in the United Response Press Office on020 8246 5237/ 020 8246 5122 or emailsarah.bartlett@unitedresponse.org.uk or jaime.gill@unitedresponse.org.uk
Notes to editors
United Response is a top 100 charity operating in England and Wales, providing a range of support and services for more than 1,500 people with learning disabilities, mental health needs or physical disabilities. We employ over 2,000 people across the organisation and have won many awards for our pioneering work since being founded in 1973.
Our mission is to enable people with learning disabilities, mental health needs and physical disabilities to take control of their lives.
Our vision is a society where disabled people are equal participants and have access to the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.
The services we provide depend on each person we work with. We can provide 24-hour support for people with profound physical needs, or just a few hours for those who need less support to live their lives. We can job coach someone into meaningful paid employment. We can provide outreach support for someone with a mental health need or help people who find it difficult to communicate by making information more accessible. The key to our success is that we work with each person to do the things they want to do, supporting them to communicate what they want and tell us how we are doing.
In support of our vision, we also campaign to improve the lives of people with disabilities in society. This may mean lobbying decision makers such as MPs to ensure that people’s voices are heard or it might mean working directly with disabled people so that they can be more directly engaged in the democratic process. We also work with employers to ensure that more people with learning disabilities, mental health needs and physical disabilities get a fair opportunity to work.
In 2008 alone, we were shortlisted as best employer in the Third Sector Excellence Awards and highly commended for our Annual Report. We also won a highly prestigious National Training Award for the investment we make in our staff.