Brian Walsh, Coventry City Council's new Director of Community Services, gave an overview of the national debate on the future of social care to our members at our Health and Social Care Forum on 29 October.

The gap between the care that people receive from the State and what they would like to receive has been valued at £26 billion. The Government's Green Paper Shaping the Future of Care Together sets out the long-term issues the country faces through a combination of an ageing population and a ‘postcode lottery' whereby the care received and the amount of financial support provided varies according to where you live. The Green Paper envisages a ‘National Care Service' providing greater consistency both in care entitlement and financial support. However, this must be paid for and the Green Paper also explores ideas for doing this, including potential linkages to a state insurance scheme.

Brian noted that this debate should not just be restricted to care for older people, but needed to be applied to social care more widely. Likewise the personalisation agenda, which looks at achieving better outcomes for a person by giving greater personal choice and flexibility about what services can be chosen to meet those outcomes and how they are purchased, is more than just a social care issue and can be applied to other aspects of the Council's work.

The deadline for the national consultation is 13 November 2009, and a White Paper is expected in the New Year. Green Papers are for promoting discussion whereas White Papers take more concrete proposals in preparation for taking a Bill through Parliament. With a General Election due next May, this will be through the next Government, but all three of the main political parties accept the need for major reform in social care.

There is a debate page at http://careandsupport.direct.gov.uk/ and the Green Paper itself can be downloaded by clicking here http://careandsupport.direct.gov.uk/greenpaper/the-green-paper-and-supporting-documents/