Health Secretary Alan Johnson today launched an intense six month debate about the future shape of care and support services. A rapidly ageing population means that in 20 years' time a quarter of the entire adult population will be over 65 and the number of people over 85 will have doubled. The growth in the number of people with care and support needs will put tremendous pressure both on services and on the financial support that they receive through benefits and other funding streams.
Over the next six months, the government will be asking the public and stakeholders at a series of regional events for their views about care and support to create a new system that:
- Promotes independence, choice and control for everyone who uses the care and support system
- Ensures everyone can receive the high quality care and support they need, and that government support should be targeted at those most in need
- Is affordable for government, individuals and families in the long-term.
Millions of people across the country are involved with providing and using care and support services. This reform is about finding a new way to help people stay active, care for family members, retain maximum dignity and respect and have the best possible quality of life.
Alan Johnson said, "Society is going through huge change - care and support must adapt to meet the challenges this will bring because the current system is simply not sustainable in the long term. There is no option of a quick fix. Radical change is needed to bring together the range of activities, services and relationship that underpin care and support so that people are clear about what they are entitled to and how and where they can get it."
"Funding is a vital part of this debate, but it is not just about money. It is also a question of individual choice, enabling people to live as independently as possible for as long as possible."
"Today we are rolling out a £31million programme to test the potential of innovative technologies like telecare in supporting care for those with complex health and social care needs. Improving care with new scientific advances and innovation is vital if the NHS is to continue to offer the very best services, but this innovation must be at the frontline of the NHS to help people manage their conditions better themselves."
The public will be able to contribute to the debate through a series of events and through a new national website http://www.careandsupport.direct.gov.uk
Today also marks the beginning of the £31 million Whole System Demonstrator Programme that will test the potential of innovative technologies like Telecare and Telehealth in supporting care for those with complex health and social care needs.
The pilot is being rolled out across Kent, Cornwall and Newham where people with complex health and social care needs such as diabetes, heart and chest problems and the elderly and the frail will use the technology.
Clients can also trigger requests for help should they fall and automated safety devices will be installed to ensure people are able to live at home for longer.
The programme aims to give people the support necessary to help them retain their independence in the community and greatly improve their quality of life by managing their conditions in their own homes.
Benefits of the scheme are expected to be reduced emergency admissions, reduced use of the acute hospital sector and reduced dependence on care home settings. If successful, then savings generated by reduced admissions could potentially more than offset the cost of the initial investment in the technology.