Respite Care (Hansard, 3 June 2003)

§ 9. Rev. Martin Smyth (Belfast South)
What assessment he has made of the need for greater provision of respite care. [116532]

§ The Minister of State, Department of Health (Jacqui Smith)
Carers make an enormous contribution to our country and to those for whom they care. We have supported carers through new legislation and by increasing funding to provide support and services. In particular, the carers grant will more than double to £185 million by 2006. That will provide 130,000 more short breaks for carers.

§ Rev. Martin Smyth
I thank the Minister for that answer, but does she agree with Mencap that those who care for young people—who may need more attention as they grow older—need more help in the form of respite care? Will she try to assess the unmet need and also talk to ministerial colleagues in Northern Ireland about the situation there?

§ Jacqui Smith
The hon. Gentleman makes an important point. I am aware of Mencap's work, and it is partly why this year the learning disability task force—on which Mencap works with us, in the person of its chief executive, who plays an important role—has been asked, along with the implementation team that 16 works to develop the points set out in "Valuing People", to concentrate on how we can ensure that the general progress that we are making for carers includes those caring for people with learning disabilities. They, too, need access to the better services and deserve the support that can be provided.

§ David Taylor (North-West Leicestershire)
The hospice movement provides terminal and day care, as well as the respite care to which the question refers. Have the Government moved closer to the commitment by successive Governments to match the amount raised by voluntary funding with contributions from the taxpayer? Many adult hospices are struggling. Staunton Harold hospice in north-west Leicestershire closed some months ago, and it was a major provider of respite care for that area and for south Derbyshire.

§ Jacqui Smith
I strongly agree with my hon. Friend about the important role that hospices play in respite care. That is why we have increased funding for palliative care, through NHS funding, by an unprecedented amount. We have also ensured that when the money goes into the system—the extra £50 million, for example—it gets through to benefit those who provide that important service in hospices and more widely through palliative care.

§ Richard Younger-Ross (Teignbridge)
What is the Minister doing to make carers aware of the provision of respite care, so that they can take advantage of it? What education is she providing about carers assessments, which ensure that their needs are met?

§ Jacqui Smith
The hon. Gentleman will know that under the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 carers can receive an assessment of their needs. He makes an important point about the need to provide better information. We support Carers UK financially, to help it to run its helpline. We also support the learning disability helpline, alongside Mencap, to which about a quarter of the callers are carers. We also support some innovative ways of reaching carers, including the ring-around carers scheme, which uses telephone conferencing to ensure that carers are aware of their new rights to assessments and their ability to access some of the increasing investment that is being made to support them.

§ Mr. Kevin Hughes (Doncaster, North)
Millions of people care for their relatives and friends 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 52 weeks a year. They save the state millions, if not billions, of pounds, and ask for little in return. Does the Minister agree that the least that we can do is to provide respite care for those carers at the time that they deem that they need it?

§ Jacqui Smith
My hon. Friend makes a very important point. He is right: carers make a massive contribution to this country and to the people whom they serve. In fact, six carers out of 10 have suggested that short breaks are often their most effective support. To enable us to provide such breaks, the Government 17 have doubled the amount of money going through the carers grant. In addition, we must make sure that the provision is more flexible. That is why we issued regulations—I think just last week—to develop the short-break voucher scheme. It is now easier for local authorities to issue carers with vouchers for their breaks, so that carers can take breaks at times, and with providers, that are more flexible and useful for them. However, my hon. Friend is right. The Government will do all that we can to support carers and the vital work that they do in our communities.