§ Mrs. CaltonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Government have for increasing(a) the numbers of carers and (b) the effective use of respite care for the disabled. [97984]
§ Jacqui SmithThe Department has committed funding of £1.5 million, to the national social care recruitment campaign, launched in October 2001. The campaign comprises national advertising, leaflets, posters, local and national public relations activity, a helpline, and a website. The materials produced are available to local employers to support their own recruitment and retention efforts to reduce vacancy rates in the social care workforce.
The effective use of respite care for the disabled is supported by the carers' grant, introduced in 1999 to support councils in providing short breaks for carers to enable them to continue to care whilst maintaining their own health and wellbeing.