#TUC13 Congress Fringe "Whole person care - a future for health & social care?

This fringe took place on Monday evening. TUC Assistant General Secretary Paul Nowak chaired. 

Andy Burham MP was running a little late, so UNISON AGS (and former nurse) Karen Jenning started the event.

She said that the problems between Health and Social Care has been going on for decades. She used as an example the age old dispute of who pays for a health or a social services bath for a client.

If the NHS recommend this then it is free, if  it is social services, then this same bath could be means tested!

While she is explaining this, Andy Burnham comes into the meeting. Karen apologies for starting without him and he says "just carry on". Karen says that is okay since, I have just been very horrible about you! (joke)

Andy spoke about the 2009-2012 - 66% rise in the very elderly A&E admittance via ambulance. Hospitals are becoming warehouses for old people. We need instead to invest in preventive care to also save money.  

The Tories are running down the NHS. According to them "GPs are to blame for A&E waits" while all nurses are "uncaring" and hospitals are just "coasting".

The press and Tories criticised the last Labour Government proposal on this issue as the "death tax".  Yet we now have already the dementia tax,  Which is surely worse? Andy also reaffirmed his pledge to abolish the Tory Health and Social Care Bill and that the NHS will be the preferred provider in any future Labour NHS reforms.

Andy made it clear that markets are not the answer in health and social care. The UK is one of the few countries to spend under 10% of GDP on health care because it has such an efficient national service. 

Justin Bowen from the GMB  (another former Tower Hamlets bod) said that Andy's comments was music to his ears. The problem however is money. Health and social care reforms will not be totally cost neutral. It will cost more. The crisis in social care now is all about money.

Andy countered by saying that there will be huge savings by bring together health and social care but also provided people knew what they would get, they would be willing to pay more for quality services.  

My question to Andy and the panel was about the present decimation of wages in the social care sector (I mentioned the disgrace at the "charity" Future Directions which he was well aware of)  and what are we going to do about future pay in the voluntary care sector?  Much of which is minimum wage.

I think it is fair to say that Andy was very supportive about the need to have decent pay in our sector but he and Labour are not yet in power.  So, roll on 2015.  

TUC 2012: Unions21 fringe - Extending collective bargaining; Extending union influence

Lunchtime fringe sponsored by Unions21. Somewhat similar content to last nights History & Policy fringe.

Meeting Chaired by Brian Groom. Business & Employment Editor of the FT.

Paul Nowak (left of picture) from the TUC spoke first about the crisis in the private sector. The Government is trying to drive a wedge between the public and private sector.  The reason why there tends to be poorer terms and conditions in the private sector is due to low density. His 3 big ideas are:- due to fragmented workplaces we need to work better together, we need to think strategically; examine other sources of leverage such as the campaign for a living wage & develop a coherent political narrative or "ask".

Christine Payne General Secretary of Equity. Her union has gone from 35k to 43k members in 6 yrs with no extra staffing resource. Her 3 ideas are to increase member participation in the running of the union, involve young people & improve communications.

Mike Clancy, General Secretary Designate of  Prospect was a little provocative. He posed the question How well have we really done during the last few days? Surely quality is better than quantity? All the breast beating, the suicidal brand damage we have done to ourselves in the last 24 hours?

Frances, our new GS will have her work cut out. We have got to be part of economic alternative that is believable. Not just about fairness at work but message that unions are good for business. We will still be the sword of justice for our members. We have got to be realistic. Is there an alternative to a market economy by 2pm today? How to make the market economy better for all. We have got to be credible.  Why is it that we all consider ourselves to be progressive but we appear to be so conservative?

Tess Lanning,  IPPR Research Fellow, spoke last (apologies but out of photo). She quoted Tony Benn "nationalisation & robens doesn't mean socialism". In Europe they tend to do things better. Trade Unions involved in redesigning work & jobs; they favour the "high road to growth". UNISON praised for helping to win an in-house bid in Newcastle.

My question (modified from last night's fringe) was piped to the post by Paul from 1st Actuarial who also asked whether there is a role for unions to play in the provision of pensions. I made the specific reference to organising around running a decent defined benefit scheme based on the new look LGPS.