Long-term care tied in red tape

The current system of social care is failing under Tony Blair’s
government. Support is fragmented and patchy and assessment of need
is highly complex and bureaucratic. Long-term care home places have
decreased by 80,000 since 1997, yet the number of people needing
them has increased. Government has increased the number of child
care places, but for every one it has created, one has closed. Add
to this the decision to merge the Commission for Social Care
Inspection and the Healthcare Commission, marking the fourth change
in social work inspection in seven years, and it is clear that
Labour has failed to deliver.

The Conservatives believe it’s time for action. Action to allow
professionals to get on with their jobs and to cut bureaucracy and
unnecessary paperwork. The problem of bureaucratic regulation of
the long-term care sector is considerable.

On our first day in office, we will instigate a full and extensive
review into all long-term care regulations and abolish those
considered unnecessary and which do nothing to enhance quality of
care. No longer will care homes close against the will and instinct
of their owner because they cannot afford the adjustments required
to meet over-prescriptive regulations dictated from Whitehall. Care
home owners and their staff will not have to spend their time
filling in paperwork when they could be caring for their
residents.

Under a Conservative government, resources in public health will be
able to support change in social care provision. They will not be
confined to NHS boundaries. We are determined that government stop
fiddling about with the funding system.

We are also determined to give Britain’s carers more control over
the support they receive. More respite facilities will lead to
fewer people needing intensive or emergency care. It is
unacceptable that carers often find themselves unable to get relief
when they need it most, and unfair that carers are forced to top up
the costs of respite from their own money. We believe there should
be clear and consistent rights to respite and are committed to
ensuring that more people have access to respite care and short
breaks.

Theresa May is the shadow secretary of state for the
family