Response to the Health Committee report on social care

Friday 12 March 2010

Mencap, The Multiple Sclerosis Society, Counsel and Care, and Carers UK said today in response to the Health Committee report on social care:

 "We welcome such a strong and clear report, which echoes our concerns that the system is chronically under-funded and severely rationed. Social care has been used as a political football at the expense of those who desperately need it. The report also highlights the insufficient attention given to disabled adults of working age, a group that so far have been hugely neglected in the social care debate.

"A consensus from the parties on the long-term reform of social care must be arrived at as a matter of urgency. We need an overarching strategic vision for the social care workforce and we need to know - in hard cash terms - what the future social care "funding envelope" will be under any system and a commitment to ending the postcode lottery of care for working age disabled adults. It is crucial that future plans are sustainable and so a tax-funded care system should not be dismissed."

ENDS

For more information please contact Jenny Brannan on 020 7696 6017 or email jenny.brannan@mencap.org.uk. Out of hours please call 07770 656 659.

• About Mencap

Mencap supports the 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK and their families and carers. Mencap fights to change laws and improve services and access to education, employment and leisure facilities, supporting thousands of people with a learning disability to live their lives the way they want. See http://www.mencap.org.uk/ for more information.

• About learning disability

A learning disability is caused by the way the brain develops before, during or shortly after birth. It is always lifelong and affects someone's intellectual and social development. It used to be called mental handicap but this term is outdated and offensive. Learning disability is NOT a mental illness. The term learning difficulty is often incorrectly used interchangeably with learning disability.

• About Carers UK

Carers UK is a campaigning, policy and information organisation of and for carers. Carers UK makes a difference to carers' lives by:

• o Campaigning for a better deal for carers;
• o Informing carers of their rights and what help is available
• o Training and advising professionals who work with carers
• o Working across the UK through its membership and networks of branches and affiliates.

• About Counsel and Care

Counsel and Care is the national charity working with older people, their families and carers to get the best care and support.  We provide personalised, in-depth advice and information, which informs our research and campaigning work.

• About the MS Society

The MS Society (http://www.mssociety.org.uk/) is the UK's largest charity dedicated to supporting everyone whose life is touched by multiple sclerosis (MS), providing respite care, an award-winning freephone helpline (0808 800 8000), specialist MS nurses and funding more than 80 vital MS research projects in the UK.