Transform care and support through a National Care Covenant, says Archbishops’ Commission
In a report published today, Care and Support Reimagined: a National Care Covenant for England, the Archbishops’ Commission on Reimagining Care sets out three actions to a new vision for care and support: rethinking attitudes to care and support; rebalancing roles and responsibilities; and redesigning the social care system.
It proposes that the National Care Covenant would be overseen at a national government level, developed through a sustained programme of public dialogue and engagement, and agreed by different stakeholders.
The Commission’s report is based on 18 months of listening and engaging with people who draw on care and support, unpaid carers, care workers, and organisations that provide and commission care, as well as experts. Key elements of the Covenant proposed by the Commission are:
- Investment in communities
- A stronger role for the state
- A new deal for unpaid carers
- A commitment to our responsibilities as actively engaged citizens
The report argues that tackling negative attitudes to ageing and disability must be the starting point to reimagining care and support.
Furthermore, the report makes radical recommendations for redesigning the care system, with a long-term aspiration of making care and support a universal entitlement, including: - Simplified assessment that leads to a guaranteed budget - People being trusted to manage their own care and decide what help they need - Independent advocacy to help people to access their rights and entitlements