Other News
PSA Commission on Care Report Launches at the House of Lords
On 1st November, PAIS staff members Prof Shirin Rai and Dr Juanita Elias were at the House of Lords for the launch of the PSA Commission on Care Report Towards a New Deal for Care and Carers – a report that they co-authored alongside academics and policy specialists from the Fawcett Society, the Women’s Budget Group and Liverpool University. The report is based on a year-long inquiry into the state of care for older people in England. The launch event was hosted and chaired by Baroness Ruth Lister and the Commission’s findings were discussed by the MPs Barbara Keely (Labour), Dr. Dan Poulter (Conservative), Caroline Abrahams (Director, Age UK), Sam Smethers (CEO, the Fawcett Society and Commission Co-Chair) and Shirin Rai (PAIS, and Commissioner).
The report drew attention to how women bear the brunt of the crisis currently impacting the adult social care sector in the UK – as women are far more likely to step in as unpaid carers when state provision is cut and women are more likely to be recipients of care. The report, Towards a New Deal for Care and Carers, laments the failure of successive governments and political parties to recognise social care as a political priority. Growing demand resulting from a rapidly ageing population and cutbacks to funding has left the formal care system at breaking point with high levels of unmet needs, low pay and poor conditions for care workers, and an increasing reliance on unpaid carers. There are now a million older people with care needs that are not being met by any public source.
Among the Report’s Recommendations are; calls for the establishment of a National Care Service which, like the NHS, should be free at the point of access, increased investment in social care, professionalization and support of the care workforce, and recognition of the work of unpaid carers. The Report and its executive summary including recommendations can be downloaded here http://www.commissiononcare.org/2016/11/01/commission-report-launched/
The findings of the Commission were enthusiastically endorsed by the speakers at the launch as well as by many of the audience members.
left to right (Caroline Abrahams – Age UK, Baroness Ruth Lister, Barbara Keely MP, Dr. Dan Poulter MP, Prof Shirin Rai (University of Warwick)