Witnessing the physical, mental, spiritual, and financial health struggles of so many good people across the United Kingdom right now cannot be ignored.
Over the past twenty years, I have worked on and off projects across Government and public sector. I am now more convinced than ever that introducing further change to processes for improving public services is a complete misrepresentation and waste of taxpayers’ money. Successful leadership in Government means being in absolute touch with the needs of the people it serves. So long as basic human, housing and business needs are not met, the UK will not enter economic recovery. This is the reality.
Overall, the UK has excellent legislation and inspirational values for public service. What we need now is a thorough review of the public service legislative and policy frameworks to align with public service delivery on the ground. Those who are leading, need to know what they have already got and embrace it for the benefit of the society it serves.
The public is not blind nor stupid. We can see that a crisis presents great opportunity for those cash rich, but such inequality and self-service come at a very high price for the rest of our society – one that no-one can run away from.
Take adult social care for example. The legislative framework for the provision of duties and responsibilities to the cared for and their carers is well considered and robust. The problems local government faces include managing the legal complexity, protecting the volume of vulnerable residents in its area, and managing resources to deliver in a growing cared for adult population.
Adult social care across the UK is currently disaggregated, underinvested, misunderstood, expensive. But if we look at the law, the Care Act 2014 for example, we can begin to see that this current ecosystem was designed to encourage healthy markets for care and support services, in and out of public sector. Local authorities are in fact under a duty to encourage this competition, this market, using innovation. We need business to make money in social care, we want more supply, more choice for our residents. A drive for better standards and pricing.
Over the past ten years, I have become very close to one family during their struggle to find choice in allocating safe and appropriate care and accommodation for their loved one, Julie. I asked my good friend, Teresa, Julie’s younger sister, to make a podcast in the hope that other families going through similar challenges will too get their loved ones’ voices heard. You can hear Teresa below:
What most of us need right now is to know whatever our struggle is, that we are not alone.
I want to make a real difference to the lives of those suffering in the UK today. I believe so many of our problems are man-made, and it is our decisions now that will determine the path for our future.
Sophie Newbould is a legal professional and independent electoral candidate for next year’s local Brentwood elections. Email your public service issues to sophie@newboulds.org, which Sophie can respond to and prioritise for a right first time agenda in our fight for a sustainable and peaceful land.
