The National Care Forum (NCF) – the leading association for not-for-profit social care has responded to Andy Burnham’s party conference speech as Labour leader .
Liz Jones, Deputy CEO and Policy Director at NCF commented: “In a passionate speech setting out his plan for Britain this afternoon, we heard the Prime Minister echo our core message that social care should be for people, not profit as he expanded on his long-held pledge to create a National Care Service.
“He also celebrated the skilled and professional work of care workers, recognising their dedication, and spoke explicitly of the ‘commitment, skill, humour and humanity with which they care for other people’s parents’ and the importance of better pay, terms and conditions.
“It was very refreshing to hear him describe care as an essential public service, as crucial to people as water, energy, transport and homes and to make social care reform such a key policy priority for his government.
“We believe the National Care Service should have not-for-profit care and support at its heart and we have a number of recommendations for how the government might support the not-for-profit sector to grow over the next ten years.
“Burnham was very clear about how crucial the Casey Commission’s recommendations will be to the framing of the National Care Service. The public’s response to the question posed in The Big Conversation on Care: “When we are old or disabled, or have a serious illness, who should support us and how” will be of intrinsic importance as plans are laid out next year in line with the Prime Minister’s accelerated timetable.
“Listening also to his focus on the importance of a stronger offer to support young people into work and training, and enabling them to start work well, it is clear that there are many opportunities for employers across the care and support sector to provide career choices for young people.
“The care sector, as essential public service, offers huge potential to support the government’s ambitions for growth in every postcode and we urge them to work with us to harness this opportunity.”
