2024-07-11 17:33:29
An open letter to the Prime Minister from Hft CEO, Stephen Veevers
Hft, the learning disability charity, has written an open letter to the new Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, asking for long-term social care reform that benefits everyone.
Read the full letter below:
“Dear Prime Minister,
I would like to pass on the greatest congratulations on your election win, and your appointment as our new Prime Minister. I have watched with interest the clear strategy that you and the Labour party deployed and the quiet, determined way you have conducted yourself.
I know you have a lot of work to do to address the many challenges we face as a country. One of those challenges must be driving long-term social care reform that benefits everyone. Across the social care sector, 1 in 20 economically active adults work in this wonderful profession, a further 4.3 million people are unpaid carers. We are ready and waiting to share our skills and expertise to support you and your party.
Of course, I have a very personal desire for this to work. I have worked my whole career in care, starting in the mid-90’s as a care worker, and for the last 27 years, with charitable providers and local government. I have dedicated my life to ensuring that the 1.1 million learning disabled adults in the UK are able to live their best lives and be active members of their community.
Learning disabled adults deserve greater choice and control over where and how they live, and access to the dedicated support they need and want.
We know that reform will be hard. There will be difficult choices to make that will affect many people, but this needs to be done. The Local Government Information Unit estimates more than half of councils will have to issue bankruptcy notices in the next 5 years because of the costs of commissioning statutory care services – sometimes very inefficiently and poorly. If reform is not enacted, there is real potential for social care to be a direct factor in the collapse of the local government system.
I know that our much-loved NHS is precariously positioned and social care is hard to grapple with – we are often seen as the Cinderella sister. The challenges are well known; fair pay and recognition, taxation to fund care, skills and training investment, moving care out of hospital closer to home and commissioning practices. But there is a real opportunity to bring this all together cohesively to drive through change. Across the social care sector, we are ready to step forward and support our new government to make these changes.
We wish you and your government every success. I hope you will join us as a learning disability ally and work with our extraordinary sector to build a fairer and more inclusive society.
Stephen Veevers
Chief Executive Officer, Hft”
The full letter is also available to download and share here:
An Open letter to the Prime Minister from Hft CEO
Notes to editors
For further information please phone 07500 224654 or email media.enquiries@hft.org.uk
About Hft
Proudly established in 1962 by a group of visionary parents, Hft is a charity supporting more than 2,500 learning disabled adults in England and Wales. Together, we are creating a future where learning disabled people and their families can live the best life possible.
Providing personalised support. Creating solutions for living independently. Coming together to campaign for positive change. Fundraising for new opportunities and a bigger impact.
In 2033, we’ll live in a world where learning disabled people have greater choice. About where they live. The support they need and want. And how to spend their time and money.
Learning disability versus difficulty
A learning disability is different from a learning difficulty but the terms are often confused and used inter-changeably. A learning difficulty does not affect general intellect, whereas a learning disability is a life-long condition characterised by a reduced intellectual ability and struggle with everyday activities.
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For more information about Hft please visit www.hft.org.uk
