Brown's agenda: Health

ePolitix.com Stakeholders comment on the challenges facing Gordon Brown on health issues.

 

Stakeholder Response: The Prince's Foundation for Integrated Health

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Kim Lavely, chief executive of the Prince's Foundation for Integrated Health, said: "The new prime minister's priority should not be how to reform the National Health Service but how to improve the nation's health.

"The Foundation believes that continuing to focus on treatment at the expense of prevention will not help us to meet the health needs and challenges of the 21st century.

"A fundamental shift in health policy is needed which places importance on enabling individuals and communities to take greater responsibility for health.

"We need to be creating a society where people can make healthy choices and really understand how lifestyles and environment affect their health.

"This collective responsibility for health naturally includes government - rather than being solely the remit of the Department of Health, all government departments should put a higher priority on ensuring that their policies contribute to creating a healthier nation."

 

Stakeholder Response: The Disabilities Trust

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The Disabilities Trust said: "While wishing Gordon Brown well as he takes up his new job and hoping he will continue the government's welcome commitment to working constructively with the third sector, would suggest there are several pressing issues that need to be addressed.
 
"First of all, the future of funding for the third sector. In the recent past the government has delivered very significant and welcome increases in public spending, particularly in the NHS and education.

"With much recent discussion in the media about how increasingly tight the next public spending round will be, it is vital that in the upcoming CSR, the government ensures there is continued investment in services that are provided by the third sector.
 
"Second, is the ongoing problem of full cost recovery. It is our experience, as a third sector provider, that there seem to be increasing difficulties in securing full cost recovery on contracts with public bodies.

"This is leaving charities in a very difficult position where they must either consider subsidising their provision or contemplate withdrawing their services altogether.

"It is therefore important that the new government not only reinforces its commitment to full cost recovery and support for the Compact, but also gives a practical lead in its own dealings with the sector.
 
"Our third concern is regulation. The Trust fully supports effective regulation of the sector to ensure that all stakeholders can have confidence in it. However there are continuing difficulties with the cost and sometimes the interpretation of regulations.

"For example the current cost to the Trust of processing CRB forms now amounts to around £30,000 a year, a not inconsiderable sum of money.

"Of course we support the work of the CRB and recognise it must recoup its costs, but it is crucial that the burden of regulation on the sector does not become disproportionate.
 
"The fourth issue is statutory recognition for conditions such as autism and acquired brain injury.

"Currently there appears to be no recognition by public bodies (for funding purposes anyway) of these conditions. This means that local authorities are not obliged to fund services that are specifically designed for individuals with these conditions.

"Because of this lack of recognition, sometimes  local authorities may simply classify conditions such as autism as a learning disability, despite the fact that it is not.

"As a result people with autism may end up being placed in inappropriate services that do not meet their unique and individual needs.

"Whilst recognising the tremendous pressures on public spending, the Trust feels that it is important the Government considers providing a statutory obligation on authorities to fund services for people with unique conditions such as autism and acquired brain injury."

 

Stakeholder Response: The MS Society

To send a comment to The MS Society, click here

The MS Society said: "We are encouraged by the new prime minister’s indication that health will be one of his top priorities.

"While the last 10 years have seen a welcome investment in health care services, we believe there are significant challenges still to be addressed to lessen the impact of MS on the lives of the 85,000 people living with the condition in the UK.

"There are continuing inequities of access to essential services and drugs for people with long term conditions across the country.

"Despite guidelines for the management of long term neurological conditions, such as MS, the postcode lottery remains.

"Progress has been made towards achieving disability equality but disabled people still face unacceptable barriers in their daily lives.

"It is vital that Gordon Brown ensures that the proposed Single Equality Bill strengthens disability equality legislation rather than weakens it.

"He must also tackle improving social care, an area which has been predominately avoided by the government and which has suffered from under investment.

"Many local authorities are unable to provide the services needed to enable independent living for people living with MS.

"Mr Brown spoke of the devastating impact MS can have on people when he welcomed MS experts to the launch of MS Frontiers 2007, the MS Society's flagship event for the research community; improving people’s access to social care services will be an essential part of improving life with MS."