Video message at the launch of the Dignity in Care campaign

7 October

Good morning.

Thank you very much for inviting me, as Minister for the North West, to address your annual conference.

Your Dignity in Care campaign, which starts today, touches an issue which is close to many of our hearts.

You will be aware that my colleague Ivan Lewis launched the first ever Government campaign to put dignity and respect at the heart of care services.

With demographic change and advances in medical care, our challenge is to ensure longer life means better quality of life.

Not simply existing.

Our aim is to create a system that offers high quality personalised services where power and control are transferred from professionals and organisations to those people who actually use services.

That also includes their families and carers.

Putting People First is a new social care concordat which requires health trusts and other statutory agencies to work with the private and voluntary sectors to improve health and wellbeing in every community.

I know that here in Cumbria you have made good progress and there are very many positive working relationships which can only benefit the people we are to serve.

But the challenges are clear:

·       Especially here in Cumbria, people are living longer and increasing numbers are living with chronic conditions such as dementia

·       Disabled people rightly demand to live independently as equal citizens

·       People with mental health problems have the right to enjoy the opportunities the rest of us take for granted.

·       Millions of people make sacrifices every day to care for relatives. 

·       The vast majority of people want to remain in their own homes for as long as possible

The government’s aim is to start a national debate about these challenges.

We want public service users to have a strong voice.

We want to encourage those users to tackle the services that don't give people the dignity they deserve.

Your presence here today shows that you care about the issue. But I’d like to think we can do more.

We want all of you in the room to join the movement to become Dignity Champions.

In the delegate pack you received this morning is the Dignity card we are using to publicise the campaign.

You'll see on the back how to register to become a Dignity Champion and there are opportunities to do so at lunchtime or at the end of the day.

We expect different people to bring different levels of commitment to the cause.

But the minimum requirements are to challenge bad practice and to encourage colleagues and others to look at how dignity can be improved in their locality.

Ideally, we’d also like to see Dignity Champions demonstrating leadership, engaging with local media and implementing changes to the way services are commissioned and delivered.

Respecting dignity is everybody’s business.

It is at centre of health and social care and community care services.

But there is a challenge for all of us to stand up for dignity in care at a time when behaviour and standards in society is changing.

This campaign is not just a one-off initiative.

If we are serious about zero tolerance to lack of dignity in care our efforts need to be long term and sustained.

You have an important part to play in spreading the good work here in Cumbria around the rest of the region.

I hope you have a stimulating conference and thank you for listening.