Carers and individuals accessing social care services urged to ‘submit evidence’ to House of Lords committee
House of Lords’ new Adult Social Care committee calls for evidence to remove ‘invisibility’ in social care
Shropshire Council are urging carers as well as individuals who use social care services to take part in the House of Lords inquiry ‘Lifting the veil: Removing the invisibility of adult social care’.
The call out follows the announcement made by The House of Lords Adult Social Care Committee, which was established this year to consider how to improve the planning and delivery of adult social care services in England. The committee are inviting the public as well as adult social care experts to ‘submit evidence’ to help understand how social care works and how “invisibility can be dismantled” for the people who it directly affects.
The committee will focus on three key issues: how an entrenched invisibility of adult social care impacts the lives of people who require care and those that support them, better support for carer workers, and putting co-production at the heart of care.
The call for evidence has a section for family and unpaid carers to give their feedback on seven questions relating to support that would make a difference for carers, including support to remain or start paid work if they wish to do so, and how carers’ wellbeing and resilience can be supported.
For more information and how to submit evidence visit Call for Evidence – Committees – UK Parliament
Deadline for submissions is Friday 27 May 2022.
Alternatively, carers can send feedback to the Shropshire carers manager and carers lead, to collate and send an amalgamated submission. Deadline to receive the feedback is Wednesday 11 May 2022. Please email: margarete.davies@shropshire.gov.uk
Further information
The committee has launched a major enquiry, ‘Lifting the veil: Removing the invisibility of adult social care’, where it will explore what needs to change to create a fair, resilient, and sustainable care system that better enables everyone to have greater choice and control over their lives.
Baroness Andrews, chair of the committee, said:-
“While people understand by experience what the health service does, very few people understand what adult social care is, how it works and why it matters, until they themselves or their family are directly affected.
“This relative ‘invisibility’ means that it can be difficult to bring about positive change on the ground, not least because so much is so far from sights.
“In launching this inquiry, our main purpose is to understand and recognise how this invisibility can be dismantled and how those who draw on different types of support and care at different ages can fulfil their aspirations for a full life, as well as their families and friends who care for them.
“By listening and learning from those who will share their experience and expertise with us, we also seek to reflect on what the meaning of social care should be and ask how far the system remains from realising that meaning in the everyday lives of people who draw on care and their families.
“We encourage a wide range of witnesses to come forward and submit evidence, particularly those with lived experience, in the full knowledge that your views are valued and will have an impact on the future of adult social care in England.”
The committee is particularly keen to receive submissions from experts who work in the social care sector – those who draw on care and support, and those who care for them.
The Adult Social Care Committee has published a series of questions, which can be viewed on the Parliament website.
https://committees.parliament.uk/call-for-evidence/2600/
