Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Adult Social Care

Tuesday 28 January 2020 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 4 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Minister stated commitment to address social care crisis with additional funding reaching 17.9 billion in 2018-19.
  • Minister encouraged local councils and hospitals in Northamptonshire to develop innovative integrated health and social care proposals.
  • Minister acknowledged challenges in rural areas and planned to review relative needs and resources including factors like rurality.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Marsha de Cordova Lab Lewisham East
Social Care Benefits & Welfare
Context

The Institute for Fiscal Studies reports that over 1.8 million older and disabled people are currently without necessary support to live independently.

Question

According to the IFS, more than 1.8 million older and disabled individuals lack the required support to maintain independent living. This crisis is exacerbated by the abolition of the Independent Living Fund and cuts amounting to nearly £8 billion from adult social care budgets since 2017 when a Green Paper was anticipated but never materialized. Given that the Prime Minister promised last summer to 'fix' this issue, can the Government now provide details on their upcoming plans?

Answer from Caroline Dinenage (Minister of State for Care)

We are committed to fixing social care and have set out a requirement under the Care Act 2014 for councils to meet eligible needs, with additional funding reaching £17.9 billion in 2018-19; the highest ever recorded. Since 2016-17, there has been a 7% increase in spending on adult social care. The Prime Minister intends to introduce plans this year after seeking consensus across political parties and organisations.

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Q2 Philip Hollobone Con Kettering
Social Care Local Government
Context

Northamptonshire is undergoing local government reorganisation, providing an opportunity for innovative proposals.

Question

Taking advantage of imminent local government reorganisation in Northamptonshire, will the Minister continue to encourage local councils and the two local hospitals to bring forward innovative proposals under one budget for an integrated health and social care pilot in Northamptonshire?

Answer from Caroline Dinenage

My hon. Friend has already been a really good champion of collaborative health and social care work. He has made some excellent suggestions, and we have seen how things such as the better care fund can have a positive effect for local communities. I encourage his local area to look closely at how that sort of work can be maximised and moved forward.

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Q3 Anne Marie Morris Con Newton Abbot
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

Rural communities face unique challenges due to low population density, which can make it difficult for needs to be identified.

Question

As the Minister will know, the particular problem in rural areas is that need is not just unmet, but unseen. What steps has the Minister taken, or what does she have in mind, to fix the situation and find that need so that it can be met?

Answer from Caroline Dinenage

My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to rural sparsity and the challenges facing rural communities. We are committed to undertake a review of relative needs and resources, which will be a thorough evidence-based review of the costs facing all authorities, including how factors such as rurality, sparsity and other geographical features affect the cost of delivering services across the country.

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Q4 David Simmonds Con Eastbourne
NHS
Context

The Pinn Medical Centre in Eastbourne is closing its walk-in service due to budget constraints, potentially diverting patients to local A&E departments.

Question

For the record, I declare my interest as the spouse of an NHS doctor. The Pinn Medical Centre in my constituency is due to close its walk-in service so that the Harrow CCG can save money, but the likely diversion of patients to local A&E services will end up costing the NHS more. Will the Minister join me in encouraging the CCG to consider the wider context of NHS budgets and to support the service while local NHS providers consider how to increase access to GP appointments?

Answer from Caroline Dinenage

My hon. Friend is right to highlight the importance of access to primary and community services within Pinner. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will be happy to meet him to discuss the matter further, but we will support anything he is doing to assist his local services.

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