Carers need more respite support, report warns

Tuesday 28 July 2015

Not enough is being done to support carers in the community by providing respite support, a review has found.

And ministers now face questions about why plans for a new adult respite home – which would have solved the problems raised in the Scrutiny review – have been suddenly dropped without explanation.

With more and more people being looked after in their own homes as they cope with serious illness or disability, the issue of respite care – where they receive temporary professional care while their carers have a break – has become increasingly important.

The panel of politicians who undertook the review of respite services for Islanders aged 18-65 say that although money is tight in the States at the moment, the government has to invest now to avoid a far bigger bill down the line.

In their report, published this morning, the Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel, said that more has to be done.

Their conclusions state: “The Panel conclude that there is not sufficient respite provision for adults in Jersey and not enough has been done to improve the service.

“The Panel find it unacceptable that a proposal to develop a bespoke adult respite home fell away without any satisfactory explanation. The Panel found no audit trail to explain the reasons why the plans had been progressed to almost the point of delivery and then suddenly halted.

“This was particularly disappointing as Panel’s evidence shows that there is and will continue to be a strong demand for residential based respite care in Jersey.”

Health are already planning to change a children’s respite facility into a home for young people aged between 14 and 21 – but the panel say that will do nothing to help adults, and will reduce the amount of provision for children.