Press release: Deafblind people continue to be abandoned, as funding fails to materialise
11 July 2012
Commenting on the Social Care White Paper and Draft Bill published by the Government today, Sue Brown, Head of Public Policy at Sense, says:
“We are hugely disappointed that the Government has postponed long term funding decisions for another 18 months, deepening Britain’s social care crisis.
"Deafblind people tell Sense that without social care they are imprisoned in their own homes because they need support to do the basic things that most people take for granted – going to the shops, opening a letter, going to the doctors. It’s simply unthinkable that human beings can continue to be abandoned in this way.
“Without a commitment to funding, today’s announcements become empty words. This White Paper is clear that it is not intended to set out a funding settlement for care and support in future years. On the one hand, the improvements included in the draft Bill are welcome. On the other hand, the Government’s procrastination about funding social care properly leaves deafblind people trapped, isolated and unable to live independently.”
Government response to the Law Commission recommendations on assessments
On a more positive note, alongside the announcements on social care today, the Government published their response to the Law Commission recommendations. We are delighted that it includes the following commitment to deafblind people:
"Based on the Law Commission’s recommendation 12, our view is that the assessment regulations should.... recreate existing guidance for a specialist assessment for deafblind people."
This will be welcome news to all deafblind people, especially those who campaigned so hard to ensure this vital provision is retained in the new law.
Fair care for the future - read our new report which describes deafblind people’s experiences of social care and shows that the system often doesn't meet their needs.
Care & Support Alliance condemns care funding delays - read the press release (external link)