On Monday evening Anne Marie spoke in the Queen's Speech debate on Health, about social care in Teignbridge.
Anne Marie stated that by 2035, 25% of the population will be over 65, 620,000 will be in care homes, 50% will have a sight impediment, and 75% will have a hearing impediment. Devon has the highest number of over 65s in the country, and Teignbridge has a very large chunk of that population.
Anne Marie welcomed the £3.8 billion Better Care Fund for 2015-16, but told the Health Minister:
“I am a great believer that we do not solve everyone’s problems through money, but also by looking at what more we need to do. There is nothing more important than health and dignity to my elderly constituents. In a civilised society, we need a proper assessment of just what good care should look like, and who pays for it. Is it the individual, the family, or the State, or a combination of all of those?”.
Anne Marie also highlighted the plight of rural councils in the UK including ours in Devon, stating:
“Devon County Council’s budget has been seriously hit, and the Government must quickly address the widespread perception that urban councils are getting a better deal than their rural counterparts such as ours. I see the consequences of this every day, with day centres in Devon being closed or their services downgraded. I will be pressing Government ministers hard on this. It has gone to change, and the imbalance must be corrected”.