Fear that care reforms ignore disabled people

Andy Burnham has described his plan for a national care service as "a landmark policy as significant as the creation of the NHS itself".

But charities have raised concerns that when the prime minister announced his proposals, he made no mention of disabled people and only referred to care for pensioners.

While the government has said a social care review is taking place, Disability Rights UK said it feared disabled people were "invisible".

The BBC has spoken to service users and care providers at Thornage Hall in Norfolk, which has warned not enough attention is paid to the needs of those with learning disabilities and that "focusing on older age is just one part of the problem".

Set in 70 picturesque acres of land near the town of Holt and established in the 15th Century, Thornage Hall was once a countryside estate for the bishops of Norwich.

Since the late 1980s it has been used by the charity of the same name, which currently provides supported living to 33 adults with learning disabilities, and day services to a similar number.

Workshops teach skills ranging from farming — the land is home to alpacas, cows, chickens and vegetable crops — to woodwork, textiles and cooking.

"We're in the most beautiful, quiet, peaceful rural location," said chief executive Rosie Dunthorne.

She said the site gave its residents and day visitors "an opportunity to lead a normal life as much as possible — promoting independence, just being part of a community, being part of a real working environment".

Atarah, 27, recently moved in as a resident after being a day visitor for several years.

Taking a break from making coronation chicken in the kitchen, she said it was her first time living away from her family.

"I'm enjoying it. I like the house, I like my room," she said.

"I can be more independent, [but] it's still hard because I can't ask mum to do stuff for me. It takes a lot of time and a lot of patience."

The centre had made "a lot of difference" to her and "helped me a lot to get out of my shy shell".

She said she hoped to volunteer in the cafe of a local animal charity, with the confidence to "talk to people and wait tables".

Another person supported at Thornage is 37-year-old Tim, who visits three days a week.

He happily showed off his work in the herb garden where he had been "growing lots of stuff, plants, sage, thyme, oregano".

And he was particularly happy with the size of the large crop of tomatoes grown in expansive greenhouses this year:

"They're massive," he said proudly.

Back in the office, Dunthorne said she kept a close eye on the finances of the operation she runs.

Costs — including energy, the minimum wage and National Insurance contributions — have risen, while commissioning income from Norfolk County Council could fall as it seeks to make its own savings.

She said the charity was advertising for a new chair of trustees who she hoped could help with fundraising.

Dunthorne had watched Burnham's announcement of a care service at the Labour party conference with interest.

"He's very good, highlighting the need to improve adult social care. But focusing on older age is just one part of the problem," she said.

"I think it's fair to say, for the whole learning disability community, that it doesn't get enough focus."

She was backed by Fazilet Hadi, head of policy at the national charity Disability Rights UK.

While she "applauded" Burnham's conference speech for highlighting the importance of social care, she said she felt disabled people aged 18-65 were often treated as "invisible".

"We were extremely disappointed he didn't even mention working age adults who [are] a third of all social care users," she told BBC Radio Norfolk.

She also said she was concerned the Casey Commission, set up to review social care services, had not done enough to engage with working-age disabled adults.

A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said: "The prime minister has made clear that he wants to see rapid progress on adult social care reforms.

"Baroness Casey's commission will outline what a National Care Service should look like, and as part of the review, the commission will explore and consider the options for supporting working-age disabled adults as well as older people in need of care."

Do you have a story suggestion for Norfolk? Contact us below.

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.