New social care charter for Norfolk launched
The new Harwood Care and Support Charter sets out a way of working to which care providers who sign up to it will pledge to abide by.
The aim is to make sure that people in Norfolk are clear about what they should expect from care services and what they can do if they feel these standards are not being met.
Care and support providers who sign up to the charter will commit to listening to people and responding to their wants and needs from within their own services, or help to find services which will work.
The charter has been created by people involved in both providing and using care and support services in Norfolk, many of whom attended the event this morning.
Dozens of care providers from the public, private and voluntary sector in Norfolk have already signed up to the charter, which has been named after David Harwood, the former county council cabinet member for adult and community services who died in July last year following a long illness.
Mr Harwood was a great proponent of bringing in a care and support charter for Norfolk, and members of his family attended the launch in Norwich as guests of honour.
Shelagh Gurney, cabinet member for adult social services at Norfolk County Council, said: “By giving people a clear list of standards that they should be able to expect from their care, or the care of a relative or loved one, we can increase confidence in care services in the county, which is good for everyone involved in the sector.”
Caroline Fairless-Price depends on care and support services in Norfolk and has been involved in the creation and development of the charter from the beginning.
She said: “Together we have created a charter for everyone in Norfolk to use, that will give people the confidence and knowledge to ask for and get the support they need.”
For more information about the Harwood Care and Support Charter and to download electronic versions of the leaflets that set out the standards of the charter, visit www.norfolk.gov.uk/carecharter
