Only a quarter (27%) of brain injury carers have received a carers assessment. Half (49.5%) of survey respondents were not aware they were entitled to a carer’s assessment, despite the legal requirement for local authorities to ensure carers are made aware of their right to an assessment. Just 24% of injury carers are satisfied with their health. Conversely, a worrying 8% are dissatisfied’ with their own health. ‘very 18% of brain injury carers rate their quality of life as or poor’. ‘poor’ ‘very 59% are showing signs of clinical depression with 21% in the severe or extremely severe range. For many carers, their loved ones’ attendance at a Headway group even if only for – one day a week provides much-needed respite from their caring duties. – False economy Evidence strongly suggests that the funding available for adult social care is by and large insufficient to enable charities such as Headway, to best support people to live independent lives following brain injury. The result of simultaneous cuts to local authority budgets and welfare benefits reform are having a detrimental effect on the physical and psychological wellbeing of brain injury survivors and their carers. In addition to the human cost in the short term, the long-term implications could impact wider society as reduced access to vital services will lead to more people becoming reliant on more expensive long-term state support. More specifically, Headway is in agreement with the Association of Adult Social Services (ADASS), which suggests that the new social care precept flexibility will not raise as much as the government suggests, and will not be enough to close the social care funding gap. A recent survey by ADASS has highlighted that local authorities are preoccupied with cuts in funding, stating that they would have to cut services to cope with funding pressures. This is reflected in commissioning practices that are increasingly seeing contracts being given to the cheapest provider not the most appropriate to provide specialist – services. Rehabilitation from brain injury is a complex area and those affected require specialist support. Generic care provision from large providers catering for a range of conditions is unlikely to provide the same positive outcomes as can be provided by
Only a quarter (27%) of brain injury carers have received a carers assessment. Half (49.5%) of survey respondents were not aware they were entitled to a carer’s assessment, despite the legal requirement for local authorities to ensure carers are made aware of their right to an assessment. Just 24% of injury carers are satisfied with their health. Conversely, a worrying 8% are ‘very dissatisfied’ with their own health. 18% of brain injury carers rate their quality of life as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’. 59% are showing signs of clinical depression with 21% in the severe or extremely severe range. For many carers, their loved ones’ attendance at a Headway group – even if only for one day a week – provides much-needed respite from their caring duties. False economy Evidence strongly suggests that the funding available for adult social care is by and large insufficient to enable charities such as Headway, to best support people to live independent lives following brain injury. The result of simultaneous cuts to local authority budgets and welfare benefits reform are having a detrimental effect on the physical and psychological wellbeing of brain injury survivors and their carers. In addition to the human cost in the short term, the long-term implications could impact wider society as reduced access to vital services will lead to more people becoming reliant on more expensive long-term state support. More specifically, Headway is in agreement with the Association of Adult Social Services (ADASS), which suggests that the new social care precept flexibility will not raise as much as the government suggests, and will not be enough to close the social care funding gap. A recent survey by ADASS has highlighted that local authorities are preoccupied with cuts in funding, stating that they would have to cut services to cope with funding pressures. This is reflected in commissioning practices that are increasingly seeing contracts being given to the cheapest provider – not the most appropriate to provide specialist services. Rehabilitation from brain injury is a complex area and those affected require specialist support. Generic care provision from large providers catering for a range of conditions is unlikely to provide the same positive outcomes as can be provided by
inquiry-into-the-financial-stability-of-local-authority-adult-social-care-aug-16.docx