GMB calls for a universal national care service

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GMB calls for a universal national care service, fully funded and providing national standards, assessment and eligibility criteria, free at the point of delivery as government’s care commissions starts work

GMB believes that the National Care Service should be fully financed by general taxation, not from service-users through the use of one-off lump sum payments or private insurance

GMB National Officer Sharon Holder responded to the establishment of the government’s Commission on the Funding of Care and Support. GMB published its GMB Care Charter for the Elderly (see notes below)

Referring to the terms of reference of the Commission, relating to how best to meet care and support costs as a partnership between individuals and the state, Sharon Holder said, ‘It has long been GMB policy that funding for social care should be paid for through general taxation. Throughout their working lives, individuals are contributing funds through their taxes to help pay for care when they need it. This need could arise through a disability during working age or during retirement at the end. This is their contribution to the partnership, through being taxed on their income.

By funding care and support through general taxation, it also addresses some of the existing inequalities in income. Those earning more should pay more tax, and contribute more towards an overall social care fund. It also protects individuals from having to use their assets to pay for the cost of care. This matches the principles of the National Health Service, by providing universal care according to need and free at the point of delivery.’

Notes:

1 GMB represents over 300,000 members working in nation’s public services, either employed directly by local government, education and the NHS, or by private sector service providers. Nearly 75,000 are employed in a wide range of social care settings within the public, private and voluntary sectors.

2 GMB CARE CHARTER FOR THE ELDERLY
GMB Vision
GMB is committed to improving the lives of vulnerable people, particularly the elderly, through campaigning for a universal national care service free at the point of delivery, funded through general taxation.

GMB is also committed to enhancing the lives of our members working in the social care sector by campaigning for a national career structure in the sector, underpinned by career development and progression pathways and good pay, terms and conditions.

GMB Charter
1. GMB strongly supports a universal National Care Service, fully funded and providing national standards, assessment and eligibility criteria, free at the point of delivery.
Supporting Statement:
GMB believes that the National Care Service should be fully financed by general taxation, not from service-users through the use of one-off lump sum payments or private insurance.

2. GMB seeks an end to the unfairness brought about through means-testing and the post code lottery, so that elderly social care users are treated fairly and equally regardless of where they live.
Supporting Statement:
GMB believes that means-testing draws an unfair distinction between those with the ability to pay and those that cannot afford to pay. It also draws an unfair division between funding between health and social care. A postcode lottery arises from care-users receiving varying levels of funding and inconsistent levels of care standards across the United Kingdom.

3. GMB believes anyone using social care services should be treated with dignity, compassion and respect and should have a right to independence, choice and control. However, GMB is very concerned that personal budgets are part of a wider Government agenda to expand independent provision of social care at the expense of public service provision.
Supporting Statement:
The UN Declaration of Human Rights states that ‘all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights’’. This underlines GMB belief that no social care service user should be treated as a second class citizen and that their vulnerable position should be recognised and dealt with compassionately and with dignity and respect. GMB supports the principles of social care users’ rights to independence, choice and control, living in their own homes and the wider community for as long as possible. However, GMB is concerned that the Government’s personalisation agenda is leading to further fragmentation of social care provision and a deterioration of services.

4. GMB believes anyone using social care services should be in a position to make informed choices, based on information that is clear, understandable and easily accessible.
Supporting Statement:
The existing social care system is complex and confusing, with many of those in need and their families unaware of what services are available or how to access them. Individuals, their families, carers and social care staff should have access to straight forward information and advice about their entitlements to services at every stage of the process and advocacy when required.

5. GMB calls for the creation of a national education, training, and career structure in the social care sector, with clear career development opportunities and progression pathways, along the lines of the NHS Agenda for Change Career and Pay Progression System linked to the development of knowledge and skills.
Supporting Statement:
GMB will work together with the Department of Health through the workforce strategy project in the sector. We will campaign for a national training, career development and progression programme, that will apply to all care service employers in the public, private, voluntary and not-for-profit sectors.

6. The national career structure should be underpinned by a national pay, conditions and employment practice framework designed specifically for the social care sector, based on good rates of pay, terms and conditions, and the application of good practice.
Supporting Statement:
The social care sector workforce is among the lowest paid in the UK, with many on the national minimum wage or just above, and other pay benefits are non-existent or negligible. There is little or no incentive to progress as the differentials in pay-rates do not reflect the additional responsibilities and skills. GMB seeks to remedy this by calling for a nationally recognised pay, conditions and employment framework to eliminate the low pay ethos and enhance the status of care sector employment.

7. GMB calls for the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) Vetting and Barring Scheme, Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks and Professional Registration fees to be paid by social care employers.

Supporting Statement:
The new Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) Vetting and Barring scheme registration fee is to be paid for by the employee. GMB feels that this will bear a disproportionate financial burden on a predominantly low paid female workforce. We are campaigning through a Trades Union alliance for the fee to be paid by the employer for existing employees and for new recruits through re-imbursement.

8. GMB will strongly urge the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to improve the Regulatory Inspection process to enhance standards, service delivery and improve the public protection of adult social care users.

Supporting Statement:

The wide variations in the quality of social care standards across the sector is a great concern to GMB, particularly in the private, voluntary and not-for profit sectors. We believe the CQC should adopt stringent regulatory measures with regular inspections without notice, and a strict code for employer enforcement. GMB also calls for Trade Union Representative and employee views to be taken into consideration in Inspection Reports.