Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG) welcomes the Archbishops’ Commission on Reimagining Care and its publication, Care and Support Reimagined: a National Care Covenant for England. The report follows the Commission’s wide programme of engagement, including with VODG and individually with our members.
The report sets out the values central to reformed care and support, and VODG specifically welcomes the call for a new social contract for care and support.
Dr Rhidian Hughes, Chief Executive at the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group, said:
“Every day disabled people and their families continue to experience gaps in support, and with rising levels of unmet need, people are left in vulnerable circumstances. The new deal for unpaid carers, alongside a universal entitlement to care and support on par with the NHS, are all urgently required if we are to ensure disabled people’s care and support is not left behind. The work and recommendations of the Archbishops Commission are welcome at such a critical time for social care, in particular the call for a National Care Covenant."
VODG remains seriously concerned about funding and the workforce pressures being faced by disability services. Dr Hughes goes on to say:
“Current funding and the lack of investment in social care workers pay by central government is depleting the numbers of people and their skills and experience prepared to work in social care. Without concerted action in the Spring Budget to uplift care workers' pay, the risks to the sustainability of services, and the provision of high quality and safe care will remain real and ever present.”