Let's Create a National Independent Living Support Service

At yesterday’s TUC General Council both Tim Roach, General Secretary (GS) of the GMB and Dave Prentice, Unison GS spoke about issues concerning their members in the social care sector. Listening to their contributions led me to make an intervention.

I stated that some 160,000 disabled people with social care packages have fallen into debt. Some personal charges can be very high, indeed I once paid over £90 per week as a personal contribution towards my care package.

As care packages are cut to the bone, this becomes a double whammy as it hits both the service user who has a reduction in their care and support; and it reduces the working hours of the personal assistant/support worker/carer. Thus, creating precarious and unsustainable employment conditions.

Picking up on Dave Prentice's link between social care and the health service, I agreed that there were indeed crossovers between the two. However, I went on to say that most people’s social care packages did not involve health interventions; and of the dangers of the over-medicalisation of independent living.  

Going on I put forward the idea of creating a National Care Service, or as the disability movement has named a National Independent Living Support Service. A stand-alone service working alongside the NHS and Local Authorities and at the point of delivery.

Finally, I called upon the TUC to arrange a seminar to discuss the crisis in social care for all users.