Prime Minister praises Harrogate social care provider group and its dynamic boss
A Harrogate-based social care organisation has been praised for its “fantastic work” by the Prime Minister’s office.
The comments from the Government follow a letter to Sir Keir Starmer from Mike Padgham, Chair of the social care provider organisation, The Independent Care Group (ICG), inviting him to meet and urging him to act over the crisis in the care of older and vulnerable adults.
The reply from the Prime Minister’s office said: “The Government understands the importance of good social care and the impact it makes to the quality of the lives of those that depend upon it.
"The fantastic work undertaken by the Independent Care Group should be rightly recognised and praised.
"The Government fully understands your aims and, as part of the Prime Minister's Plan for Change, shares your vision of the accessibility of social care for all those who require this vital service.
"Thank you for all you do in this most important of sectors, which is a true testament to the importance of civil society.”
Despite being praised for his group’s efforts in social care, the chair of the Harrogate-based Independent Care Group, which works with local authorities and the NHS in Yorkshire, remains as concerned as ever at the unanswered financial questions facing the sector.
Mr Padgham, who runs five residential and nursing homes in North Yorkshire supporting older and disabled people, said: “It is heartening to receive a reply from the Prime Minister’s office and to hear some recognition of both social care, in general, and the work of the ICG, in particular.
“It would have been nice if the Prime Minister had agreed to a meeting.
"We know it has announced an independent commission into social care but in the meantime, we call on the Government to take immediate action, invest the minimum £2 billion needed to tackle short-term problems, pay social care staff properly and get on with creating a National Care Service that brings NHS and social care together.”
The over-stretched social care sector currently looks after 400,000 people in care and nursing homes and a further 640,000 people at home.