STATE OF CARING REPORT 2017
Context : the state of caring in 2017
Debate on the balance of responsibility for care between individuals and the state was central in the run up to the 2017 General Election . The huge amount of care already provided by families and friends both practically and financially was not acknowledged enough in that debate , nor was the importance of supporting those people caring unpaid .
© Chris Steele-Perkins / Magnum , 2014
A spotlight was shone on the inadequacy of the current system , on its unfairness and on the inconsistencies of how care for different health conditions is provided and paid for . Care for conditions like cancer and diabetes is largely paid for through the National Health Service whilst in contrast , conditions like dementia require social care services and these are subject to both a needs and a means test . All these issues are evident in the experience carers reported in response to our survey .
It is more than five years since the NHS in England began its programme of efficiency savings . A huge transformation is now underway in the way health and care are delivered which has as one of its aims achieving financial savings . NHS spending across the UK has not kept pace with demand from an ageing population living longer with complex health conditions and it is clear that spending on health and care will continue to be under considerable pressure across the UK .
In this context the enormous contribution of family and friends in the UK , the main providers of care , which is estimated to be worth £ 132 billion per year , roughly equivalent to the NHS budget , is more important than ever .
Yet , three quarters ( 73 %) of carers responding to this year ’ s survey feel that their contribution is not understood or valued by the Government . Nor do the majority feel the public value their contribution . This is consistent with recent polling of the public more widely which showed that the vast majority of the public ( 74 %) think that carers are not sufficiently valued by society . These findings should act as a wake up call to policy makers and to the public .
Yet , rather than a health and care system which values and supports carers , our 2017 survey suggests that too often carers are being pushed into poor health through lack of access to practical support and breaks .
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