United Kingdom
Homecare Association (UKHCA)
Northern Ireland Assembly Elections
Manifesto 2016
Enabling people in Northern Ireland to
live independently at home
UKHCA Manifesto
About UKHCA
Support people’s right to independence
As the national association for homecare
providers across the UK, we call on politicians
to make a firm commitment to high quality
and sustainable homecare services to let
people stay at home and in their community
by recognising that care has to be funded
fairly to recruit, retain and reward a motivated
workforce.
•
Recognise that should they need care or
support, the vast majority of people in
Northern Ireland would prefer to remain
at home, in their local communities, for
as long as possible and that they would
generally choose to die at home rather
than in hospital. This is recognised in TYC,
but we need this to be reflected both in
policy and action.
Current state of homecare
•
Ensure that Government policy facilitates
and encourages homecare and removes
barriers to access.
•
Consistently encourage and facilitate high
quality co-ordinated social and health care
which meets the needs of the individual
and the outcomes they wish to achieve.
Homecare in Northern Ireland is in crisis.
The traditional solution – funding acute
health services to support people who
are already in ill health without adequate
community based services will lead to repeated
failure. This is recognised by the landmark
strategy “Transforming Your Care” (TYC),
the subsequent Donaldson Report and by
successive Health Ministers.
Homecare services support 41,2001 older and
disabled people in Northern Ireland every year
to live independent and fulfilling lives, without
reliance on residential care services. The
homecare sector also provides employment
to more than 12,0002 front line workers.
More than 95%3 of all homecare services are
purchased by the state through Health and
Social Care Trusts. The majority (68%4) of
these services are delivered by independent
and voluntary sector organisations based in
their local community.
Given current inadequate financial resources
Northern Ireland needs a new approach: the
full implementation of TYC, with proper and fair
funding of homecare to enable people to live
well at home and reduce dependence on acute
hospital services.
Effective homecare services reduce costs for
the Health Service by supporting people at
home with greater access to preventative
services and to help them live as independently
as possible after illness.
Commitments for the next
Government
UKHCA calls on all political parties to commit
to the following principles, all of which are
consistent with Transforming Your Care. We
have also identified a number of specific
initiatives that should be acted on as soon as
the Assembly is reconvened after the Election
as a start towards addressing the broader
principles.
2
UKHCA Manifesto for Northern Ireland 2016
As a start, in the first session of the new
Assembly:
Require Health and Social Care Trusts to
demonstrate that they have investigated all
options for supporting people in their own
homes, where this is their preference, in an
efficient and timely way, whether their care is
to be state or privately funded.
Realise the potential of homecare to
improve health
•
Adopt homecare policies which maintain
peoples’ wellbeing and inclusion in
society, including proper assessment and
supporting health and nutrition.
•
Enable joined-up thinking and better
co-ordination of resources between frontline homecare and health services, so
that people get the support they need
early enough to prevent unnecessary
or unplanned admission to hospital or
residential or nursing care. Northern
Ireland is in a stronger position to achieve
this than England, Wales and Scotland
because of our integrated health and social
care system, but we would like to see
more evidence of this working effectively
in practice on the front line.
As a start, in the first session of the new
Assembly:
Require the Trusts to maximise the benefits of
an integrated health and social care system
by consulting properly with people over care
packages and working collaboratively with
providers from the voluntary and independent
sector to ensure the best outcomes.
Prioritise homecare
Support the homecare workforce
•
Commit to addressing the major financial
deficit in homecare, ensuring the allocation
of adequate resources to improve the
benefits to individuals and value for money
for tax payers.
•
•
Ensure that resources allocated to meet
homecare needs actually reach front-line
services for people who need support and
are not diverted to competing areas of
spending.
Recognise the significant contribution
that the homecare sector makes to the
Northern Ireland economy by maintaining
peoples’ wellbeing; providing employment;
supporting working family carers and
generating tax revenue.
•
•
End the inappropriate use of very short
visits.
Actively support the homecare workforce
through measures that facilitate better
terms and conditions for Northern
Ireland’s homecare workforce and actions
which develop their skills base and raise
their professional status in society.
As a start, in the first session of the new
Assembly:
Commission a robust, independent review
of the true cost of care in each of the health
trust regions and require Northern Ireland’s
Health and Social Care Trusts to cover the
real cost of the delivery of safe, dignified
homecare to people who need support;
providing additional ring-fenced money where
this is shown to be necessary.
Regulation and quality of care
Require Regulation and Quality Improvement
Authority (RQIA) to inspect and report on the
commissioning practices of the five Health
and Social Care Trusts. This would ensure that
these practices are consistent with provision
of safe and dignified care services to meet
peoples’ individual needs and that homecare
is viable and robust going forward.
As a start, in the first session of the new
Assembly:
Require the RQIA to scrutinise the
commissioning of homecare services
effectively, systematically and on a regular
basis.
As a start, in the first session of the new
Assembly:
Commit to funding increased state investment
in training in order to enhance the quality
of care, the status of the workforce and
attractiveness of homecare as a career.
In Addition
The Commissioner for Older People for
Northern Ireland published a report last year
entitled Domiciliary Care in Northern Ireland.
We call on the Health Minister to implement
the recommendations of this report which is
formal, statutory advice.
Why we must act now
Northern Ireland’s population is ageing, this
means that demand for homecare services will
continue to increase. It is vital that sufficient
and sustainable homecare services are in
place, to continue to meet the needs of older
and disabled people in their own home.
This requires a well-trained workforce and
funding to ensure that adequate provision of
homecare is in place for the years to come.
The Assembly must act now to assure safe,
dignified homecare for the population of
Northern Ireland.
_____________
Sources:
1.
A composite figure calculated by UKHCA, which includes all
people receiving a service from independent, voluntary and
statutory providers, both privately funded and funded by
Health and Social Care Trusts
2.
This is a composite figure calculated by UKHCA. The
head count figure includes all careworkers employed by
independent, voluntary and statutory sector providers.
3.
No published data available on the private market in Northern
Ireland. Assume 5% of all hours purchased are private, based
on lower threshold for eligibility and greater access to statefunded care.
4.
DHSSPSNI, Domiciliary Care Services for Adults in Northern
Ireland (2015). Available at: www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/
publications/domiciliary-care-services-adults-northernireland-2015
UKHCA Manifesto for Northern Ireland 2016 3
Quick facts about homecare in Northern Ireland
Price paid for one hour of homecare1
UKHCA Minimum Price for
Homecare from April 2016
£16.70
Wales
England
£13.77
Scotland
£13.68
Northern Ireland
£12.16
South Eastern Trust
£12.18
Northern Trust
£12.16
Belfast Trust
£12.16
Southern Trust
Western Trust
16 million
£14.28
visits were provided to
people in their own homes
in 20152
78%
of all visits provided to
clients were less than 30
minutes long3
£11.12
£10.54
9 out of 10 people
7 out of 10 adults
aged 50+ would want care in their
own home4
want to die in their own home5
Sources:
1.
Northern Ireland
Ireland
2016
rates
(at
1st
April
2016)
vs rest
ofof
Northern
(at
first
rest
Northern
Ireland2016
2016rates
ratesvs.
vs.
rest
ofApril
UKs2016)
2014
rates
UK’s2014
2014
rates(latest
(latest
available).
Source:
UKHCA
(2016).
UKs
rates
available).
Source:
UKHCA
(2016).
(latest
available).
Source:
UKHCA
(2016).
The State
of
The State
State of
ofinHomecare
Homecare
in
Northern
Ireland.from:
Available
The
Northern
Ireland.
Available
Homecare
Northernin
Ireland.
Available
www.
from: www.ukhca.co.uk/downloads.aspx?ID=505
www.ukhca.co.uk/downloads.aspx?ID=505
from:
ukhca.co.uk/downloads.aspx?ID=505
3.
DHSSPSNI Information Analysis Directorate (2015).
Domiciliary Care Services for Adults in Northern Ireland
(2015). Available from: www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/sites/
default/files/publications/dhssps/dcs-adults-ni-2015.pdf
2.
Figure extrapolated from the single week’s figure quoted
in “Domiciliary Care Services for Adults in Northern
Ireland (2015)”. Available from: www.dhsspsni.gov.
uk/sites/default/files/publications/dhssps/dcs-adultsni-2015.pdf
4.
Saga / Populus survey of Saga customers 2013
5.
Dying matters / Comres 2014
For more information on homecare services
UKHCA website
www.ukhca.co.uk
Reports
• The State of Homecare in Northern Ireland (2016). Downloadable from:
www.ukhca.co.uk/downloads.aspx?ID=505
•
The Homecare Deficit (2015) – a report on the funding of older people’s homecare across
Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. Downloadable from:
www.ukhca.co.uk/rates
•
The Minimum Price for Homecare (2015). Downloadable from:
www.ukhca.co.uk/downloads.aspx?ID=434
To contact UKHCA
Twitter: @ukhca | Email: enquiries@ukhca.co.uk | Telephone: 020 8661 8188
United Kingdom Homecare Association Ltd. is registered in England. Registration Number: 03083104