Today at the Labour Party Conference, politicans were urged to commit to a new manifesto for tackling multiple needs by the Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) coalition.
The MEAM coalition, made up of Clinks, DrugScope, Homeless Link and Mind, launched Making Every Adult Matter: a four point mainfesto for tackling multiple needs and exclusions as it looks to prevent the most vulnerable in society from from falling between the gaps in care services. The manifesto calls for a Green Paper on multiple needs which often include a combination of issues including substance misuse, mental health problems, homelessness and criminal behaviour.
The report also urges the next government to create a framework in which all local authorities, criminal justice agencies, health services and the voluntary sector must actively cooperate in solving the problem, rather than shifting responsibilty elsewhere.
The MEAM coalition, which is supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, highlighted the fact that services often struggle to help people with multiple care needs. MEAM told conference delegates that current failings too often result in inefficient use of public funds and engrained social exclusion that is costly to the individual and society as a whole.
"In every local area, councils, services and the police can list individuals who face multiple needs and exclusions by name," said Oliver Hilbery, the MEAM Project Director. "But differing priorities and a lack of coordination can mean that they are passed from service to service, without ever getting the overall they help. Today's manifesto is a call to change that for good,"
To support the manifesto the MEAM coalition is committing itself to supporting a programme of locally based service development, building on the work that is already underway across its 1600 frontline member agencies. "We have promised to tackle multiple needs and exclusions by working with our frontline agencies. We are now calling on politicians to make their promise and commit to the manifesto." said Hilbery.
At the report launch Andrew Barnett, Director of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, said his organisation is pleased to be supporting the work of the MEAM coalition. "The launch of the four-point manifesto presents a real opportunity for government policy to support practical work on multiple needs and exclusions and is a basis from which we can further develop local service responses in the future," he said.
For more information on the MEAM coalition and DrugScope's role contact Andrew McNicoll, Communications Officer, at andrewm@drugscope.org.uk or call 020 7520 7563.
