Care Support Independence

People in Bristol will today have the opportunity to shape Government policy and tell the Care Services Minister Phil Hope what they think about the future of the care and support system in England.

In the next 20 years the number of people over 65 in the South West will increase by 90 per cent and the number of people over 85 will increase by 88 per cent. As a result, the care system must change to meet the changing needs of society.

The visit to Bristol is part of a national tour, launched by the Prime Minister in May, to debate the future of the care and support system. It’s a chance for stakeholders, including local councillors, representatives from local authorities, the NHS and third sector to have their say on how best to develop a system for care and support that meets the needs of society well into the future.

The tour also raises the profile of the Dignity in Care campaign which, aims to inspire and equip people to drive up care standards and encourage people to become Dignity Champions, spreading best practice and giving advice to other health and social care workers. The Government has achieved its aim of doubling the number of dignity champions to more than 3,000 and the National Dignity Ambassador, Sir Michael Parkinson, has been working to help raise the profile of this important agenda.

Phil Hope will visit Bristol Royal Infirmary, which has recently made several improvements in order to better maintain patients’ dignity and respect. The mortuary recently received a £12,000 refurbishment to preserve the dignity of relatives and to create a more pleasant viewing room. In the Emergency Department double curtains were installed to give patients greater privacy, and new notices have been put up to make sure patients’ wishes on privacy and dignity are respected.

Minister of State for Care Services, Phil Hope said: "In 20 years time the number of people over 65 in Bristol will have increased by 83 percent. It is great that people are living longer, but this does put pressure on services, so it’s vital I discuss, with people here, how we can create a high quality, affordable care and support system for a rapidly ageing population.

"I want to hear views on how we can provide a system for the future that promotes independence, choice and control for everyone.

"People want and have a right to expect services with dignity and respect at their heart, so I am delighted that we now have over 3,000 Dignity Champions dedicated to raising standards of care all across the country."

Notes to Editors:

Case studies for Bristol are available on request – please contact Robin Miller at COI News & PR – 0117 900 3559