PARLIAMENTARY ROUND UP

Social care firmly on the agenda

by Kelly Baker, PLMR
Social care, it seems, has at long last climbed to the top of the political agenda. A combination of several planned reforms, and pressure from multiple third sector organisations mean the next few years will be crucial in shaping how millions of people view, and experience social care for generations to come. This month, independent think-tank, Demos released their Commission on Residential Care polling. Chaired by the former Care Minister Paul Burstow MP, the report highlights overwhelmingly negative perceptions of care, with over half of people surveyed saying they would not consider a care home in later life because they fear being neglected or abused. These results expose why care homes have such a poor reputation and why people fear being put in a home, said Paul Burstow. I have seen fantastic examples of good care and am passionate about making this the norm rather than the exception. A study by the Institute of Ageing and Health estimates that an 82 per cent increase in care home beds is needed by 2030, meaning there is a greater likelihood of many of us coming into contact with a care home in the future. However, negative perceptions of care homes, as regularly perpetuated by the media, discourage people from considering residential care as a viable option for themselves, or a relative. As Mr Burstow observes, there are many examples of best practice, and these deserve to be recognised and commended accordingly. In order to improve the reputation of care homes in the UK, it is vital that stories of good care, such as the care homes who receive the highest ratings in their CQC reports, are also made accessible to the public. In other major news this month, the Department of Health announced a new contract between the British Medical Association and NHS England, which will see the return of the traditional family doctor responsible for out-of-hours care. Hailed as the biggest shake-up since Labours changes to GPs contracts in 2004; under the Governments plans, up to four million patients aged 75 and over will be allocated a named doctor with overall responsibility for their treatment. Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt said: We are bringing back named GPs for the vulnerable elderly.This means proper family doctors, able to focus on giving elderly people the care they need and prevent unnecessary trips to hospital. This is about fixing the long-term pressures on our A&E services, empowering hard-working doctors and improving care for those with the greatest need. Given that many older people are admitted to hospital because they could not access help in time from their GPs, this is welcome news. However, further clarification from the Government is needed as to how these new proposals will affect older people living in care homes. Under the terms of the deal, doctors have agreed to identify the frailest 2 per cent of patients on their registers, a group likely to include care home residents and those in palliative care. This raises the question of who is ultimately responsible for residents care, and who is best placed to decide upon an appropriate care package. Some may believe that a nurse looking after a resident in a care home on a daily basis is in a better position to make decisions about their care than a doctor who may only see a resident once a month. Elsewhere, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) will call on GPs to draw up plans to better manage prescriptions for care home residents. Professor Mark Baker, Director of the Centre for Clinical Practice at NICE said: Despite existing guidance and standards on managing medicines in care homes, recent studies have found evidence that medication errors are commonplace. Its therefore very important that there are clear, documented, systems and processes in place for managing medicines in care homes which use the best available evidence. With numbers of the oldest old, those 85 and over, set to double by 2030, there remains an urgent need to establish the kind of social care system we want: one that can provide high quality personalised support for those who need it; is affordable for the individual and the state; and treats people with dignity. 2014 is set to be an interesting year for this most vital sector.

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