Social Justice

An overview of the Health and Scial Care Group, how the group was founded and what work is carried out.

On 25th May 2002, the Board was informed about widespread concern over the round of £9 million cuts to front-line social services, agreed by Oxfordshire County Council in April 2002, in the face of considerable protest by service users and carers. The lively discussion which followed noted the complexity of the issues including funding. It led to the setting up of the Health and Social Care Group which meets about six times a year.

Membership : The aim is to seek representation from all nine local authorities within Oxford Diocese. The active membership of five, which includes Dr Evan Harris MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, otherwise only covers Oxford City, Banbury, Didcot and Witney. The group needs the Board's help in recruiting a wider more representative membership of people concerned about health and social care issues across the Diocese.

The terms of reference : These include:

1) the identification of issues around health and social care, including mental health;

2) keeping abreast of policy and practice at local, regional and national level in collaboration with statutory and other relevant agencies;

3) raising awareness with parishes, deaneries and the diocese;

4) working on appropriate responses to new initiatives and decisions, at different levels.

Issues addressed :

1) Much thought has been given to the cuts in services for children with disabilities, such as respite care, and the future of the Oxfordshire Resources Centres.

2) To broaden our perspective, we have looked at the LibDem draft policy on Social Care.

3) We have also studied the fines to be imposed on Social Services departments for delayed discharges

4) We have raised concerns about the repressive aspects of the Mental Health Bill, still before parliament and we are resourcing a clergy training day on mental health.

Future work :We are looking at Continuing NHS Care, Children's Trusts and Asylum issues. As a small group, we are still finding our feet and need to widen our membership. We have not yet developed a strategy for raising awareness across the diocese and should be glad of views on this. As busy people, there are limits to what we can do in terms of action. We should be glad to hear of key concerns which are troubling Board members and associates.

Margaret Coombs, Chair of Health and Social Care Group