Tory MP for Redcar Jacob Young and councillor Paul McInnes discussed the key issues in social care during a visit to Voyage Care’s Bridge Court care home.

The pair met with those supported by Voyage Care and their support workers, and discussed what improvements they’d like to see in the sector to enable them to live the life they choose.

Young said: “Visiting Voyage Care’s facilities in Bridge Court was a fantastic and enlightening experience. 

“It goes without saying that the work carried out by care workers is absolutely vital, ensuring that people who need support are able to live full, rewarding lives. 

“But witnessing firsthand the dedication and hard work of the staff, and the positive impact they have on the lives of those they support, really drives home the vital role of social care in our community and my role as an MP to support the sector however I can.”

Voyage Care is calling for a more consistent social care commissioning model by local authorities, the establishment of a new Commissioner for Adult Social Care and the creation of a Compulsory National Register of those working in the adult social care system – raising their status and ensuring that they have their skills and knowledge properly recognised.

Andrew Cannon, chief executive at Voyage Care, said: “We see it as our duty to raise awareness of the issues that exist within social care. By inviting politicians and policy makers to meet with the people we support, we can showcase the extraordinary work our colleagues do every day to enable them to live as independently as possible.

“Enabling access to high quality specialist adult social care is fundamental to the lives of those we support and also helps to reduce the systemwide pressure on wider public services, such as the NHS, housing and other social care. We are therefore calling for meaningful change, seeking to remove the postcode lottery and ensure that the support available to individuals is linked to their specific needs and not where they live or their financial situation.”