A healthy attitude towards housing
I completely endorse Inside Housing and the Chartered Institute of Housing’s ongoing House Proud campaign - especially its focus on health (Inside Housing, 22 January, 2010). Decent, well-adapted housing promotes health and keeps people at home and out of hospital and care homes.
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As a leading domiciliary care and social housing repair and maintenance provider, we see the reality of how housing and health are interlinked on a day-to-day basis.
Your article gave some excellent examples of how bringing health and housing together has improved healthcare and saved money. I would argue that much, much more needs to be done by local authorities and Primary Care Trusts to work together to deliver more for less. Pockets of good practice will be insufficient to meet the growing demographic and financial challenge that we are facing.
How many local authorities across the UK commission adult care services and housing repair together? The answer, as far as I can tell, is none of them.
So, how do we ensure that the great practice outlined in your article becomes standard practice across the UK, and that UK policy makers wake up to the opportunity here?
At Mears Group, we advocate linked assessments across home adaptations, telecare and personal care, as well as breaking down the barriers between health, social care and repair and maintenance services. Joint budgets for commissioning services would be a good start to unlock the potential of some of these synergies.
More must be done, and soon, if we are to meet the financial and demographic challenges of the future.
Alan Long, executive director, Mears Group