https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/solve-the-crisis-in-social-care

Again there is the promise of the ‘Green Paper’ for Social Care, but this promise has been ongoing for so many years, that I feel the ‘Green’ may be mould and should this be so it will be at least Black should the promise ever come true.

Matt Hancock is the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, but by his non-actions the reference in his Job Tittle, in reference to Social Care is by name only, for no actions have been forthcoming.

He states that as much money the health services will need will be forthcoming and this promise should also have been extended to Social Care. For should Social Care completely fail tomorrow, if not even today, the funding for health would be never ending.

But a substantial funding for Social Care is not all that is needed. Virtually everyone sees the need for a sustainable Health Service, but this is not extended to Social Care.

If or when Social Care does fail, then this will create death for many of the persons reliant on Social Care. If I was a cynic, I could well reason that this is the Governments eventual intention, as it would also go some way to also reduce the Benefits Bill, for less people around to claim benefits through their demise, means less benefits payable.

But this could not be so, could it!!

The whole concept of Social Care needs to be drastically improved, as does its profile, for to many in the UK, when Social Care Carers are referenced to brings the comment, ‘that they only wipe bottoms’, but this is far from the truth, as a Care Worker has the life of people in their hands.

It is regrettably realised that all care workers are good care workers, but I believe that the majority are and only a few bring the reputation down. The same can be said of Care Service Providers.

A substantial increase in funding would be beneficial in many ways

Reward the good care workers for the excellent job they do, they they should be in receipt of ‘at least’ the Real Living Wage as stated by the Living Wage Foundation.

In doing so this will encourage more persons into the profession willing to provide good quality care. In which case those care producing poor quality care could be moved on, as could the poor quality Service Providers.

It also has to be realised that Social Care is not restricted to the ‘elderly’ although currently they are the largest area receiving Social Care. But, with the increased standards of health care, more persons with disabilities and other life conditions are living much longer, but not as long as they could with even more improvements. It encompasses both adults and children and includes, not only care and nursing homes, but also Supported Living and a large area of Home Care.

With Home Care, much is done by family members, who currently save the UK at least £130 Billion a year, but these family members are themselves suffering many conditions, at least, Stress and their own health continues to deteriorate, thus causing more pressure on Social Care and even Health Care.

The working condition for Care Workers also needs to be substantially improved, for they themselves are not exempt from health problems and the miserly remuneration provides little cover if they. themselves fall ill, no money for the first 3 days of every sickness.

While now all employed workers, should they be over 25 and earn more than £10,000 per year, be contributing to a pension, when the amount of eligibility remuneration is exceedingly small, so the £10,000 needs to be reduced to Zero and the non-entitled remuneration to be reduced, while proving a Real Living Wage.

Should I even suggest a national sick pay scheme for Care Workers.

Much needs to be done to improve Social Care and its image and all this is before Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is taken into account.