Heyday: Quality care - the big Q

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Sunday, 23, Nov 2008 12:39

Heyday is promoting a new campaign launched by Age Concern*, calling for older people to be provided with high quality care that meets their individual needs.

You’ve told us the current care system is not working and the Big Question (the Big Q!) is this: are you concerned about the quality of care? Or have you or someone you know had a bad experience of care? If the answer is yes, we want to hear your thoughts and views on the system.

There are a number of ways you can get involved. One of the easiest is to click here to go to the Age Concern England website where you can register your concern as a Heyday member.

What is the problem?

The problem is simple. The current care system is not working for many people who use it. At the moment over a million people over the age of 65 receive social care services from their local authority. Many either receive care that is of a poor quality or do not get enough to meet their needs.

The care system already cannot cope with the current demand that is placed upon it. Yet in the next 20 years the number of people aged 85 and over in England is set to increase by two-thirds, with the number of people with disabilities and potentially in need of care increasing the demand placed upon the care system.

Urgent reform of the care system is needed now to ensure that it can meet the demands placed upon it now and the increased demands in the future.

You might find that one of the following applies to you:

-You have a friend or family member who is receiving care

-You receive some support yourself – or think you should be entitled to some

-You are providing care for a friend or family member

-You are concerned about what the future of care may hold for you, your family and friends

We want to hear your concerns and comments on the care system and to pass this information on to the government, so that we can have a positive influence on its plans for reforming the way care is managed in England*. The more responses we get from you, the more influence we’ll have - so do let us know why the issue is of concern to you. Maybe you have a relative receiving care that is not up to standard, or maybe you’re worried about your own care, now or in the future.

* This campaign has been launched by Age Concern England and therefore refers the English care system only. We hope to run both UK-wide and nation-specific campaigns in the future. If you’ve got an issue you’d like us to take up then do let us know – campaigns@heyday.org.uk.