Sharon Ball

If you are interested in how the Care and support service should be formulated in the future then a meeting that is being held on Wednesday 15 October is the one for you.

The Healthier Communities and Older People Overview and Scrutiny Panel on Bath & North East Somerset is seeking public views on the central Government consultation on the sort of care support system that should be in place in the future.

 

The Government defines care and support as "services and activities that help people to live independent, active and healthy lives and to be part of the community". These services comprise social care; some housing support services; support for independent living for disabled people, and benefits that help with the extra costs of disability in later life. It looks at issues including:

 

*   how care and support should be paid for in future,

*   how responsibility should be shared, and

*   whether more support be given to those with low incomes and assets. 

 

The meeting, which takes place at The Guildhall in Bath, is being organised by the Council’s Healthier Communities and Older People Overview and Scrutiny Panel, which is co-ordinating a response to the Government on behalf of the local community.

 

At the public meeting, the Panel will hear from a range of invited contributors from local voluntary organisations, housing trusts, and advocacy networks, but is keen to hear residents’ views on the future of care and support services too. Members of the public can either come along just to hear the issues being discussed or they can register to speak by contacting the Council’s Democratic Services team on 01225 394452. In order to allow as many people as possible to make their views known, the meeting is being held between 2pm and 7.30pm, with two sessions for members of the public to speak, one in the afternoon and one in the evening. The Government has produced a range of information on this issue  (found at www.careandsupport.direct.gov.uk/<http://www.careandsupport.direct.gov.uk/>) setting out their vision for a new care and support system and inviting people to comment. 

If you are unable to attend the meeting you can still make your views known in the following ways by 24 October:

 

*   E-mail scrutiny@bathnes.gov.uk;

*   Write to Overview and Scrutiny, Bath & North East Somerset Council, Guildhall, High Street, Bath, BA1 5AW, marking your envelope "Care and Support";

The Healthier Communities and Older People Overview and Scrutiny Panel will co-ordinate a response on behalf of local people, which they will submit to the Government.