INDEPENDENT AND INFORMAL CARE PROVISION

INDEPENDENT AND INFORMAL CARE PROVISION Britain has a mixed economy care provision. Many of the care services come from the a) Independent sector – non-statutory organisations private organisations b) Informal Carers

INDEPENDENT AND INFORMAL CARE PROVISION This care sector has become more important over the last 20 years because: The Conservative and Labour governments have deliberately encouraged provision by the independent sector.

INDEPENDENT AND INFORMAL CARE PROVISION Demographic factors, including an ageing population, have created an increasing need for health and social care services. An increasing number of women who work outside the home have created a demand for more childcare. There is a shortage of public services in some areas.

INDEPENDENT AND INFORMAL CARE PROVISION It has also been suggested that the change in people’s attitude towards health and physical awareness has made the public more willing to spend money on such things as dentistry and cosmetic surgery.

THE PRIVATE SECTOR This is a ‘market’ which sells care to people. This care includes such diverse services as screening and dentistry, home modifications, fertility treatment and tertiary care when someone is dying. The people who provide private care do so in order to make money.

THE PRIVATE SECTOR Until recently, the individual had to buy the care with cash or personal insurance. Lately, in some circumstances, it is possible to receive private care which has been funded by public bodies. A partnership is agreed between a statutory organisation and a private organisation e.g. home care for older people, cataract surgery and screening. This shows how the boundary between the sectors is becoming less defined.

FACTS Facts 14 million people in Britain use private care in one way or another many do so in order to avoid NHS waiting lists many treatments are not available under the NHS e.g. un-necessary cosmetic surgery 850 000 private treatments are undertaken every year 1:3 private knee replacements 1:2 private abortions

THE PRIVATE SECTOR Although this sector is growing, only the services which the public are prepared to pay for are offered by the private sector. They tend to be specialist services which are associated with lifestyle. The statutory institutions (the NHS and the Local Authorities) tend to offer services to a more diverse public sector which often needs more complex and more expensive care.

THE PRIVATE SECTOR There is considerable economic, political and ethical debate concerning the increasing use of private services in the country’s health and care services.

Put your mind to work…. Working in Pairs Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using private services in connection with these three areas. List your answers

THE PRIVATE SECTOR Examples of private provision in Health and Social Care hospitals, nursing homes, residential homes, nurseries, clinics drugs, medical apparatus, bandages etc, being sold to the NHS and local authorities treatments, drugs without prescription, apparatus and therapies purchased directly from private providers e.g. pharmacists, optician, dentist, practitioners of complementary and alternative medicine

THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR The Voluntary Sector originated in the eighteenth century. Religious voluntary organisations, such as the Quakers and wealthy, philanthropic people like the Cadbury family began supporting voluntary services to help the less fortunate. But these were few and far between because they were expensive to run and depended entirely on financial contributions.

THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR The Voluntary Sector: was established as a result of a specific need. No law was required to establish it is usually made up of registered charities – they are non-profit making employs some staff while other workers are volunteers.

THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR They traditionally focus more on social care rather than on health. They often ‘fill the gap’ left by the other sectors, e.g. care for the very poor or the homeless. They are not found in every area. The care provided by the Independent Sector is monitored and moderated by: a) The health care commission b) Commission for social care review

THE INFORMAL CARE SECTOR According to a national survey in 1995, 1:8 adults in Britain provide informal care and 1:6 home includes a carer. A ‘carer’ is someone who looks after a person who is ill, disabled or old in their own homes. It is estimated that 7 million persons, women mainly, are informal carers in Britain.

THE INFORMAL CARE SECTOR Facts: 2:3 informal carers work in paid employment; also parents are often dependent on their children, 10,000 carers are under 18 yrs old; the majority of carers are women Examples of the tasks undertaken by an informal carer: assisting with personal care – dressing, washing etc. shopping and collecting prescriptions, household cleaning, walking the dog for someone who is house bound, keeping company.

ASSESSING INFORMATION Questions: . Why has the independent sector increased in importance over the last 20 years? Describe the main characteristics of the private health care sector. Describe the main characteristics of the voluntary care sector. Explain the importance of the role of informal carers.

ASSESSING INFORMATION In the UK health care provision is mostly via the statutory organisations. What is the meaning of statutory? Give an example of this The private sector is? The voluntary sector is? The voluntary and private sectors are called Independent sectors. Why?

CARE Practitioners in the private and voluntary sectors can also offer statutory care services, if they receive a contract and finance from the government to do this. This does not happen often. Instead, these services usually offer non-statutary services, e.g. nursing home care, physiotherapy, to people who are willing to pay for them.

CARE Social care is any non-medical care which offers support or help to vulnerable groups. The main users of social care services are: Children and families Older people People with disabilities (physical, sensory or learning) People who suffer from mental strain

CARE Social care is also provided via statutory, private and voluntary organisations. Discuss and then make a list of different examples of social care services.

CLASS WORK Class Work (on a sheet of A3 paper) :- Think of all the health, social care and childcare services which you know about. Group the services into the 3 categories mentioned above (table format). Define the sector of each one (i.e. statutory, informal, independent) Specify whether the health services are primary, secondary or tertiary care Briefly note what is the main purpose of each service (The answers are to be found on page 531, 532, 554-559 in the book ‘Babies and Young Children, UWIC)

FURTHER WORK Identify the 4 different care sectors which exist within the care system in the UK. Explain the meaning of the terms ‘mixed economy care’ and ‘internal market’ in relation to care services. What is the effect of the internal market on the care system?