The ‘Big Conversation on Care’: our response to the Prime Minister and Baroness Casey’s joint announcement
People with dementia are frequently failed by the adult social care system, with families often left to find and arrange support on their own. We’re calling for the Government to deliver earlier, more coordinated and specialist support for people affected by dementia.
Baroness Casey and Andy Burnham, giving a speech on adult social care
What is the Casey Commission and what does it mean for dementia?
The Casey Commission, led by Baroness Louise Casey, is an independent review by the UK Government to reform adult social care in England. We’re keen to play our part in informing its recommendations and ensure people living with dementia are heard and involved.
What is the ‘Big Conversation on Care’?
Today we saw Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Baroness Casey give a speech, which included the launch of a ‘Big Conversation on Care’ giving the public their chance to share their views on the future of adult social care in England.
Our response to Andy Burnham and Baroness Casey
In response, James White, Head of Campaigns at Dementia UK said:
Families affected by dementia have waited far too long for a social care system that works for them. Every day, Dementia UK hears from people navigating a fragmented system, often without specialist support, pushing them to crisis point. Bringing forward the Commission’s timetable is a positive step in recognising the urgent need for reform.
A national conversation on this scale is an important opportunity to hear directly from people who use social care services and the families who support them. People affected by dementia must be at its heart, and their experiences must meaningfully shape the Casey Commission’s recommendations and the Government’s response.
Baroness Casey has already recognised the need for better support for people affected by dementia. The Government must now turn that recognition into practical reform. The real test will be whether families can access coordinated, specialist support from diagnosis through to the end of life.
Lesley, who cares for her husband Malcolm, hugging Baroness Casey, Chair of the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care
Want to help?
At Dementia UK, we campaign for the Government to improve care so that everyone affected by dementia gets the specialist support they need. If you’d like to find out more about our work and how you can help, you can join our Campaign Network.