Kevin Hollinrake MP has welcomed the announcement of £2bn of extra funding for social care in England which delivers more than £19 million over next the 3 years for North Yorkshire. Mr Hollinrake has campaigned for this in debates, meetings with ministers and his work on the Communities and Local Government Select Committee. Although pleased that more money is being allocated he argues that more must be done in planning for the future.
“This funding, announced in the recent Budget, helps tremendously but we also need a medium term solution and a fairer allocation of funding for North Yorkshire from 2020. We need a long-term cross party approach to find a sustainable solution to adult social care.
There is a hugely increasing demand for social care, there was a 33% increase in the past 10 years in the population who are aged 80 and over. There is a projected 100% increase in that population over the next 20 years, and a 50% increase in 65s and over in the same period. Interestingly enough, there will be only a 4% increase in the population who are below the age of 65 over the next 20 years. That is an interesting dynamic when we think about who will provide the care that will be needed.
I was very impressed with the German system of social insurance when our select committee visited Berlin in late 2016. They had moved to this approach from a system similar to the current UK system in 1995. Everyone makes a contribution of 1.175% of their salary. It means that when people need care they have a fund to call on. Needs are independently assessed, so they receive the level of provision that suits them. It can also be used to provide domiciliary care. Monies paid out by the scheme can go to family members who look after the person who is ill, so it has a social benefit as well as delivering a sustainable system that works in the longer term. We should look at this and other models on a cross-party basis to ensure long-term sustainability.
An area of adult social care we must not forget is for those with learning disabilities. That population is increasing rapidly and will increase again over the next 20 years, which means more profound challenges for our health and adult social care services. One of the most inspirational examples of how to deliver services is Botton Village “shared lives” concept, in Danby Dale on in the North York Moors, where co-workers and people in need of care live and work side-by-side.
We need to take a strategic look at the current methods of funding adult social care and make sure they correlate with the needs of communities across the country. I will continue to press for a sustainable social care system that will help all those who need our support.”