Andy Burnham says he will end the drought in social care. But Christians still have work to do

It’s early days but to have a new Prime Minister who is prepared to stand up and make a raft of bold declarations on reform to adult social care can only be a good thing.

As a sector, many of us have been scanning the horizon, like Elijah and his messenger in 1 Kings 18, in the hope of a sign that much-needed change is on the way. Indeed, there have been 22 reviews of social care in the past 27 years, with a succession of leaders promising to fix things, only to balk at the scale and complexity and financial implications of the task.

Of course, a lack of political will from government has not stopped those of us across the social care sector from doing what we’ve set out to do in caring for the older and vulnerable people who need us. As a charity, Pilgrims’ Friend Society provides Christian care homes and housing schemes where older people can live really well in later life, looked after by dedicated care staff and we have been sharing some of our expertise with churches and carers in the surrounding communities.

But it’s been heartbreaking to see so many families confused and worried by a baffling system.

Time and again we’ve seen older people, many of them living with debilitating conditions like dementia, who could have done with a lot more help much, much sooner and who have suffered as a result. That really isn’t right and the fact that it’s been allowed to go on so long is shameful. Andy Burnham has charged his predecessors with “a major dereliction of public duty” and I’m sorry to say he’s right.

It’s not just those relying on the system and their families who have been ill-treated. Previous governments have failed to recognise the skill and the value of those who work in the sector and the workforce has not been invested in sufficiently, leading to challenges with recruitment.

Reasons to hope

So, as a leader in the sector, I’m glad to hear that social care is high on the government’s agenda.

I’d even go so far as to say that what’s being talked about feels more than just a fist-sized cloud but, as in the case of Elijah, something with the power to grow. The bringing forward of the report by Baroness Casey and her commission into social care, greater engagement with leaders of other political parties, better pay for carers, a National Care Service that’s free at the point of need, a funding system that’s easier to navigate…these are all significant moves that could amount to a real difference.

The detail of exactly what’s going to be enacted and how still needs to be worked out – whether that’s an increase in tax or something else. Cost has proved the major sticking point for Burnham’s predecessors, with many wary of ostracising an electorate already beset by financial worries. For him to succeed, he’s going to need tenacity and buy-in from his politcal opponents. It’s my prayer that he will have both.

Andy Burnham has charged his predecessors with “a major dereliction of public duty” and I’m sorry to say he’s right

But meeting the needs of older people in our country can’t stop with the Prime Minister and his political colleagues. Part of the reason the crisis for older people has not been worse is down to what so many in the community are already doing for those in their midst. Churches, charities and voluntary organisations have led the way in providing services and support, from seniors’ lunch clubs to dementia-friendly cafés.

Then there are the numerous activities behind the scenes, the phone calls to check in with someone who might be feeling lonely, the dropping round of shopping or a batch of biscuits. In the midst of the current heatwave (and what’s become a literal drought for much of the country), no doubt many older people have benefited from friends and neighbours checking in to see how they are managing to keep cool. It might be hard to imagine now, but the same will be so when winter comes and the cold weather arrives.

So yes, we absolutely do need our government to step up and do its bit. And at the same time we as Christians need to carry on doing our bit, encouraging others within our churches to lend their support in the numerous small yet significant ways we all can.

As His followers, Jesus taught us to love our neighbours as ourselves. However much Burnham and his political colleagues do in Westminster, it will only ever be from a distance and on high. The person best-placed to check in on and love an older neighbour is always going to be the person nearby.

Pilgrims’ Friend Society is hosting Evergreen, a one-day conference on 23 September to help equip the church for service to older people. To find out more, visit pilgrimsfriend.org.uk