Social Care Funding and Political Miscalculation

Health and social care funding is now well and truly a part of the political geography of the UK. As far as England is concerned, it has for years been a blot on the landscape that has undergone several attempts (actual and proposed) to hide it from view. Today, we have now discovered that the blot is built on a fault line and the plates have move. The tremors have been felt in Downing Street: the damage is serious.

During the week beginning 15 May 2917, the Conservatives published their election manifesto. Their plans for social care funding in England proved monumentally - and perhaps - disastrously controversial.  There are very few people who would disagree that something has to be done about social care funding. The question, though: is what should be done?

Social care needs more money; but where is that money to come from. The options are few. First, money can be taken from another area of public spending. That's not going to go down too well with the people in the departments affected.

Second, money can be raised from the public. The thorny point here is who should pay. At the moment, if you require social care you get no financial help if you have savings above £23, 500. Below this figure, you receive some financial help. If more money is to be raised, should it fall upon everyone to contribute even though not everyone will need social care during their lifetime. Alternatively, should those who need social care be required to pay for it.

At this election, the big division between the parties on the question of social care funding saw the Liberal Democrats and Labour in favour of distributing the burden more widely, and the Conservatives placing the burden on those who need social care. With the Tory proposals, if you required domiciliary care, your home would form part of your savings for means test purpose; whereas at the moment it is excluded. I should submit, that the Tory manifesto proposal for funding social care was electorally catastrophic for them. Teresa May's claim a few days later that there would be a cap on the social care fees you would have to pay - a cap not mentioned in the manifesto - just made things worse.

Labour called the Tory proposals a dementia tax. The grey vote was alienated. At the 2015 election, 47% of people aged 65 and over and 46% of property owners voted Tory.  I may be wide of the mark here, but I would not be surprised if the children of property owning parents voted to keep their inheritance. On Monday May 15 2016, a poll of polls but the Tories 17 percentage points ahead of Labour. Today, with the election results all but in, the Conservatives are the largest party in Parliament but have lost their majority.

With a hung Parliament, it is questionable whether social care is going to be high on any coalition government's agenda. On the other hand, perhaps there now exists an opportunity deal with the issue of social care funding: it is not going away, that is certain.

Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on 01843 235910 or email garry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website at www.caremark.co.uk/thanet.

The Great Get Together at Bernie's Chocolate Bar

                                                         

On 16 June 2016, the then MP for Batley and Spen, Jo Cox, was horrifically murdered. Jo possessed the rare qualities of being respected and liked by colleagues across the political spectrum. Jo's values resonate with many of us. She believed that "We have more in common than that which divides us": The Great Get Together celebrates this. From Friday 16 June to Sunday 18 June 2017, thousands of people at hundreds of events in towns across the country will meet up to share time together.

At Caremark Thanet, we are pleased to team up with Bernie's Chocolate Bar to bring you our own Great Get Together. You are invited to join us on Friday 16 June 2016 between 2.00 -4.00 in the afternoon at Bernie's Chocolate Bar, 12-14 High Street, Margate, CT9 1AT. If you've never been to Bernie's you will be amazed by the stunning views (if you have been there, you'll know what I mean), delighted by the hospitality and knocked out by the coffee and cakes (and chocolate).

The Great Get Together is all about sharing. It's about sharing what we have in common; sharing drinks and food; sharing conversation with friends - and strangers; sharing - and respecting - our differences; sharing being together; and together saying a defiant no to division.

Amongst many other areas social concern, Jo Cox was heavily involved with the campaign to end loneliness. Loneliness does not discriminate. It is a feeling that has no sympathy for illness, for gender, for status or age. Though it is a feeling to which age makes us more susceptible. 

The facts on loneliness and isolation make uncomfortable reading. There are about 3.5 million people in the UK aged 65 and over who live alone. Many of the 65 and over age group report that they have contact with family, friends or neighbours less than once a week; that they feel trapped in their homes; that they have no help to go out; feel socially isolated, and have no one to turn to for help.

You probably know someone who is lonely. If you do know someone who is socially isolated, why not invite him or her to join you at at our Great Get Together. The things we can do to help are often quite simple; as simple as inviting a neighbour to Tea at Bernie's Chocolate bar.


Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on 01843 235910 or email garry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website at www.caremark.co.uk/thanet.

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Care and Support Workers Recruitment Open Day: 24 May 2017

Caremark Thanet held another successful open day on Wednesday 24 May 2017 for prospective care and support workers. The purpose of these events is to provide information to people who want to work in domiciliary care, generally, and for Caremark Thanet, in particular.

Ten people attended the event at the Oak Hotel in Ramsgate. The format of the event aims to give people all the information they need to make an informed choice about working in domiciliary care for Caremark Thanet.

Business Development Manager, Jemma Clayton, got things started with an introduction session. This was followed by a brief presentation by Managing Director, Garry Costain, which focused on the high expectations that the company has for its care and support workers and the rewards and opportunities that are available for outstanding, reliable care workers.

There was then a chance for people to ask Garry any questions that they had. Amongst other things, Garry explained that guaranteed hours contracts may be available for people who want them and prove themselves to be reliable; that all care and support workers are entitled to 28 days paid holiday per year, and that there are promotion and training opportunities available for ambitious people.

Following Garry's presentation, attendees had the chance to chat with one of Caremark Thanet's care and support workers. This is a chance for people to ask someone who is doing the job questions about what it is really like to work for Caremark Thanet.

Eight application forms were given out; one candidate was interviewed on the day and offered a position and there are six interviews scheduled for week beginning 29 May 2017.

If you'd like more information about working for Caremark Thanet call: 01843 235910; email: thanet@caremark.co.uk.

 Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on 01843 235910 or email garry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website at www.caremark.co.uk/thanet.

Funding Social Care in England: What the Main Political Parties Propose: UPDATE

At the time of writing this article, political parties have published their manifestos and are actively campaigning throughout the country for our votes. Predictably, there is little agreement amongst the parties on most things. There is one point, however, upon which all parties agree, and with which few people in the country would take issue: that point of agreement is that our social care system needs reforming. There is no agreement, though, about how this reform will be funded. This article very briefly looks at what the main parties propose for funding social care in England.

The week just gone, week beginning Monday 15 May 2017, saw the Conservatives publish their manifesto. The proposals contained in that manifesto for funding social care have received quite an amount of media attention. At the moment, financial help with social care fees is provided to people with savings less than £23,250. With regard to domiciliary care, the equity in your home is not taken into account (it is for residential care fees).

The Conservative's proposal is that help with social care fees will no be available for people with savings up to £100, 000. However, the equity in your home will be included in the calculation for qualifying for help with both residential and domiciliary care fees. You will not have to sell your property during your lifetime nor whilst a surviving partner is living in your home. You will, though, have to take some form of loan to pay for your care fees until your savings drop below £100,000.

The thing that occurs to me is that the long term consequence of this may be to discourage home ownership and saving and in a generation or two's time we will be back to a social care funding crisis. To prevent this occurring there may need to be penalties incurred by those who dispose of assets in their lifetime and/or some kind of social care tax or insurance. Which brings me to the Liberal Democrat's proposals.

The proposals from the Liberal Democrats include an immediate one penny rise in the basic, higher and additional rates of income tax. This will raise, it is claimed, £6 billion that will be used to fund the NHS and social care. At some future point, this one penny increase will be replaced by a health and care tax, which may involve a reform of our national insurance system. Eventually, the aim is for one health and social care budget.

Labour's proposals include developing a National Care Service for England. Social care will receive an extra £8 billion during the first Parliament of a Labour government, with an additional £1 billion in the first year. The National Health Service and the new National Care Service will require £3 billion extra in the "first years". A limit will be placed on an individual's lifetime contribution to care fees. To pay for these proposals the Labour manifesto suggests options including wealth taxes, employer contributions and/or a social care levy.

The inescapable fact is that the money to fund social care has to come from somewhere. To give more money to social care either some other area of Government spending receives less, or more money is raised. And the ways of raising more money are fairly limited.

Update

As you are undoubtedly aware, Teresa May announced last week (week beginning 22 May 2017) that, should the government be re-elected, there would be a cap on the amount that you are expected to pay for your social care; notwithstanding that this commitment was not present in the Conservatives' manifesto.

Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on 01843 235910 or email garry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website at www.caremark.co.uk/thanet.

Care and Support Worker Recruitment Open Day, Royal Oak Hotel Ramsgate, 24th May 2017

Caremark Thanet is a domiciliary care company that provides care throughout Thanet. On the 24th May 2017 we will be holding one of our Care and Support Worker Open Days at the Royal Oak Hotel in Ramsgate. The full address is 66 Harbour Parade, Ramsgate, CT11 8LN. There will be two sessions: one starting at 10.30 am and the second at 12.00 midday.

These events have proved incredibly popular with people looking to work in domiciliary care. The main purpose of the event is to provide potential care and support workers with information about working in care generally, and working for Caremark Thanet more specifically.

Working in domiciliary care presents challenges and brings enormous rewards. It is a career that is not for everyone. If you have never worked in care and want to get some idea about what is involved; this event may be just right for you. Experience is useful but not essential. What we look for is people who are caring, reliable, hardworking and flexible.

If you have care experience, you will probably be more concerned about finding out what it is like working for Caremark Thanet. Working for us will not suit everyone. We have high expectations; in turn; you rightly should have high expectations of us. We are a company that is prepared to invest in the right people. If you feel you have something to offer; come along and see what we can offer you.

The format of the session will probably go something like this:

First, there will be an introduction session led by our Business Development Manager, Jemma Clayton.

Second, there will be a presentation from the managing director of Caremark Thanet, Garry Costain. This presentation gives the audience a little bit of information about our history; emphasises the company’s ethos based on an uncompromising approach to the quality of care delivery and valuing of our carers; outlines the benefits of working for us and the wider opportunities available, and rounds off with a glimpse of the plans for how our success story will continue.

Third, there will be  an opportunity to ask Garry any questions that the audience might have.

Finally, we always try to invite along one or more of our carers so that the audience can ask questions directly to someone who is, in fact, doing the job.

The feedback from our most recent open day on 7th  March was extra-ordinarily positive. Most people went away with one of our application packs. We subsequently interviewed several candidates and were able to offer jobs to some of these people.

Spaces are limited so you are strongly advised to book a place. To guarantee your place, please contact Jemma Clayton on 01843 235910 or email jemma.clayton@caremark.co.uk.

Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on 01843 235910 or email garry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website at www.caremark.co.uk/thanet.

East Kent Independent Dementia Support

Dementia touches the lives of many of us. It is estimated that in Thanet there are over 2000 dementia patients and this figure will rise to approximately 3000 in 2026. In Kent the figures are over 22 000 current patients rising to over 30 000 in 2026.

Dementia is not itself a disease. It is an umbrella term that refers to symptoms caused by a number of illnesses, of which Alzheimer's disease is, perhaps, the most widely known. There are probably, however, a hundred or more illnesses that can cause dementia.

One of the most difficult things for people whose lives are affected by dementia is where to go to find support and advice. In East Kent we are very lucky to have a number of organisations, one of which, in particular, is East Kent Independent Dementia Support (EKIDS for short). I have singled out this organisation for mention in this article because today I, along with a colleague, attended one of their monthly support group meetings, where we were made very welcome indeed.

EKIDS is a support group in East Kent for people living with dementia and for their families and carers. There are five locations (see the website for details), where meetings are held, usually once each month at each location. (EKIDS do a great deal more than this, but I'll keep this article brief). The meeting we attended was at St Christopher's church in Newington, Ramsgate.

At the meeting we attended, there was a speaker named Christine Cuss, who gave a very interesting and moving talk about growing up during the blitz. In adult life, she discovered a diary kept by her father addressed to her. Christine has published this diary as a book entitled Notes to my Daughter. Proceeds from the book are donated by Christine to the British Legion.

There are a number of impressive things about EKIDS; I will mention just three. First, you are sure of a very warm welcome. If you want to attend a meeting, you can contact them in advance (01227 730000; enquiries@ekids.org.uk), or you can just turn up. Either way you will be made very welcome.

The second impressive thing is that the people there genuinely feel they are supported; it is difficult to put a price on that.

And thirdly, the people in this group are a fantastic source of knowledge. They probably do not have the answers to everyone's questions, but someone will probably be in a position to know where the answers can be found.

If you want more information about EKIDS:
go to their website: www.ekids.org.uk
telephone: 01227 73000
email: ekids.enquiries@outlook.com

They also have a Facebook page that is well worth a visit.

If you or someone you know is affected by dementia, EKIDS may be well worth looking more closely at.

Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on 01843 235910 or email garry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website at www.caremark.co.uk/thanet.