Tag: social care

Archbishop of York asks about social care reform

During a debate on the government’s social care strategy on 22nd March 2023, the Archbishop of York asked a question on reforming the social care workforce, emphasising the need to value care workers:

The Lord Archbishop of York: My Lords, the report by the Archbishops’ Commission on Reimagining Care was published in January. I am sure that the Minister is aware of this: in fact, I know that he is having a meeting later today with the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Carlisle, who co-chaired that commission. We argue for a very bold approach to social care, which puts at its heart the concept of a care covenant, with clear expectations on each of us of what we should give and expect in return, recognising that each of us is a carer and that most of us will need care one day.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about delivery of special educational needs policy

The Bishop of St Albans asked about government support for health, social care, and CAMHS services in response to the announcement of a new special educational needs plan on 9th March 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I too thank His Majesty’s Government for the improvement plan. I commend what they are doing to try to get a much more integrated approach and some of the resources mentioned in the plan. However, I share the concern raised by the noble Baroness, Lady Twycross, about implementation. The stories I pick up from grass-roots situations in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, where I serve, show that there are still some very serious problems, and some children are now being failed immediately.

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Carer’s Leave Bill: Bishop of Leicester draws attention to Archbishops’ Commission on Reimagining Care

The Bishop of Leicester spoke in support of the Carer’s Leave Bill in its second reading on 3rd March 2023, drawing attention to the recommendations raised by the Archbishops’ Commission on Reimagining Care:

The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, I am pleased to speak in wholehearted support of this Bill. It has been a pleasure to hear other speeches and to receive briefings on this significant area of our common life. I look forward to hearing other speeches and thank those who have introduced the Bill.

The Bill is an important step forward in showing carers that although their efforts may not be waged, they are very much valued. It might not go as far as could be hoped, as the noble Lord, Lord Shipley, has said, in that it provides for unpaid rather than paid leave, but it is undoubtedly a step in the right direction.

I see three key features of this Bill: first, the provision of leave for anyone with caring responsibilities, not just those who care for people in their household; secondly, guaranteeing this leave as a day one right; and thirdly, allowing for it to be taken flexibly. These three features show that the Bill recognises the variety of unpaid carers on whom society depends and the distinct challenges they face.

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Bishop of Exeter speaks on healthcare in rural areas

The Bishop of Exeter spoke in a debate on healthcare in rural areas on 23rd February 2023, emphasising the need to address challenges in staff retention in the NHS and the care service:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: My Lords, I begin by thanking the noble Baroness, Lady McIntosh, for securing this important debate. We all acknowledge that the NHS is operating under enormous pressure at the present time. Perhaps inevitably, publicity focuses on our inner cities but, as we have been hearing this afternoon, rural communities are also pinch points. My own county of Devon has the second-oldest population in the country. We should not underestimate the challenge, both logistical and financial, of delivering healthcare to an ageing population, particularly in coastal communities and remote rural areas.

In his 2021 report on coastal communities and their patchy provision of medical services, the Chief Medical Officer for England observed that some

“of the most beautiful … and historically important places”,

including in the south-west region,

“have some of the worst health outcomes in England, with low life expectancy and high rates of many major diseases”.

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Bishop of Durham asks about rethinking the social care system

On 25th January, the Bishop of Durham asked a question on rethinking the social care system, in light of the publication of the archbishops’ report on reimagining care:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, can I take the Minister back to social care? Yesterday, the archbishops’ report on re-imagining care was published. It suggested that we need a major rethink on how the whole care system works, not just with local authorities—though it notes that not enough is being put in. The noble Baroness, Lady Andrews, has welcomed the report and produced a fantastic report on this with her committee. Might this be an opportunity to completely rethink how we do social care in the future?

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Bishop of London asks about health and social care workforce concerns

The Bishop of London asked a question on sustainable workforce concerns among health and social care workers on 19th November 2022:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, we have heard how important a sustainable workforce is, both in social care and healthcare. Can the Minister tell us what the Government are doing to listen to the concerns of health and social care workers about patient safety and their own working conditions at this time?

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Bishop of London asks about funding for social care

The Bishop of London asked a question about sources of funding for care on 24th November 2022, during a debate on adult social care:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, the Archbishops’ commission on social care, which will be publishing its report next year, is also concerned about the inequitable funding when funding is raised through council tax. Can the Minister indicate how central money will reduce this inequality to accessing care and whether the Government are doing any evaluation of that?

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Bishop of London asks about living wage for social care workers

The Bishop of London asked a question about establishing a living wage for social care workers on 21st November 2022:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, Enabled Living in Newham has become the first London-based social care provider to pay its workers the real living wage—the first such employer to do so. We have heard that social care workers are among the lowest paid, with one in five residential care workers living in poverty before the cost of living crisis, according to the Health Foundation. What assessment have the Government made of the real living wage and the impact that it could have on retaining valuable social care workers?

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Bishop of Bristol asks about conditions in the social care system

The Bishop of Bristol asked a question on concerns about fair wages and working conditions in the care sector on 8th November 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Bristol: My Lords, there are currently more than 160,000 vacancies in the social care sector, and, so often, the work of voluntary carers—relatives—needs the support of the wider social care system. Research from the TUC finds that one in three current care workers is likely to leave in the next few years due to low pay. It is very good to see the Government’s new Made with Care recruitment drive. However, please can the Minister set out what the Government are doing to address the concerns about pay and status in the social care system, particularly given the ongoing cost of living crisis?

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Bishop of London asks about living wage for care providers

The Bishop of London asked a question about a living wage for care providers on 3rd November 2022, during a debate on “fire and rehire” practices used by employers:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, having access to secure work is key to health, not just of individuals but the community. It means sufficient wages and reliable hours. London has the highest share of care workers paid below the real living wage of any English region. What are the Government doing to encourage care providers to be living wage employers to ensure that the workers who look after us have access to secure work?

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