Health and care services petition

Eastern Cheshire is noted for having one of the highest proportions of elderly in the population, of anywhere in England. Everyone, with family or without, is likely to find that they will at some time become a family carer.

We have all watched, over the last few years, as vital public day and respite services have been threatened with closure – and closed. People have fought back, with meetings and petitions, but the inexorable slide has continued.

Yet these services were paid for by us, as a vital part of our Welfare State. They were supposed to aid us in our daily lives, so that when the need for full time care descended on the family, there would also be some form of respite from this exhausting, depressing overwhelming work – some time off, something to look forward to.

It is certain that in the throes of dementia, for the family carer, the only thing on the horizon is depression and grief; hardly designed to bring about a cheery, healthy existence.

Equally, we are currently being informed that we must 'stay away from hospitals, particularly their A&E Departments, so that the current overloading can be levelled off.

We are told that 'patients prefer to be in their own homes'. I am sure that is largely true.. but what then of the full time family carer? Does the home become no more than a hospital ward, as the family carer is in effect both evicted from their home circumstances and made to work 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, with no hope for any future or rest or social life?

We urgently need our health and care facilities to be open, local and in public hands. To run well, each community needs day, overnight respite, dementia and intermediate care to run together, with suitable divisions, so that the needs of each community can be supported.

That would certainly keep a large number of people away from the main hospital, since their needs would be served locally. It would also support pre-bookable respite for family carers to be allowed to take a break from the undoubted pressures of caring, to allow sleep, friendships, exercise.

Following this petition, assuming we can gain the 10,000 signatures required, there is good cause to begin to request 'rights for full time family carers'. They are so cheap on the system. And even with a suggested 1 (one) 24 hour period per month – in blocks of time-off over the year according to choice and need – as a respite right, they would still be far cheaper than either the NHS or the Local Authority, for the full time care they give.

With so many people living with quite severe disabilities, and so many living with dementia and/or up to and over the century, we really must sort out adequate patterns of care. Family Carers already work hours far in excess of any fully paid worker. Many are old and in poor health. Were family carers paid money for the job, their work would be declared unlawful by both the UK and the EC.

Charities pick up small pots of money form NHS and Council and provide irregularly organised help for only very small numbers of people. Carers organisations will not provide respite care, so that family carers can take a break. Overnight breaks are not being offered.

No commercial enterprises will offer pre-booked respite as a certainty, so the family carer can make plans for any break, even could that break be afforded. We have purpose built – but now empty – buildings right across Eastern Cheshire.

Full Time Family Carers lose wages, pensions, health, rights, and years of age, by just caring. How long is it expected that a person will provide full time care before their mental and physical health is irretrievably lost? Is it fair for this relatively rich society – whose people have paid for their Welfare State – to expect that?

The overarching legal 'duty of care' which currently resides with our public service authorities, must not be allowed to dissipate. Eastern Cheshire CCG and Cheshire East Council say that the public must stop being dependent and stand on its own feet.

What a good idea. Let us all do that, and claim back our public services. For our health, we urgently need them.

Petition details

Click here to go to the petition
Dropbox link to paper petition & poster – click here

Send signatures by the week of 23rd April 2015 – St George's Day – the health & care service is national – anyone can sign.

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