Tories told to act now to save social care as exodus leaves 165,000 vacancies
Social care bosses today warn they have “run out of road” as they issue a last-ditch plea to save the crisis-hit service.
The vital sector is hampered by an estimated 165,000 vacancies as workers quit for better-paid jobs in shops and warehouses, according to experts.
That has a knock-on effect on the NHS, with doctors unable to discharge patients who no longer need hospital treatment but cannot find space in a care home or arrange home visits.
The outgoing President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services today publishes a report demanding an overhaul of social care before it is too late.
Sarah McClinton, said: “After decades of false dawns on reforms and funding, never in my professional career have I seen the adult care system so close to breaking point.
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“Millions of people are in pain or distress because they aren’t getting the care they need and family and friends picking up the pieces are being pushed to the edge.
The President of Adass issued a desperate call for an overhaul of the sector (Getty Images/iStockphoto)“We’ve been trying to patch-up social care for years, but we’ve run out of road.
“We need to act now to save social care.
“We don’t expect the Government to wave a magic wand, but we do need the political will to invest in a long-term plan to ensure good care is available to everyone, everywhere.”
The 46-page report, ‘Time to act: a roadmap to reform care and support in England’, says that while there is a consensus on what sort of care and support system the country needs, “for decades” there has been “no political or collective will to make it happen”.
The blueprint proposes boosting housing options for older or disabled people, “tackling the chronic social care staffing issues including pay and conditions” and making care more affordable.
The study, by social care experts Kate Jopling and Dr Anna Dixon, will be presented to town hall social care chiefs at today’s Adass spring seminar.
Ms Jopling said: “We know where we want to get to; now is the time to act - for everyone to take responsibility and have the courage to say care and support is important to them.”
Age UK charity director Caroline Abrahams said: "There have been many false starts and empty promises over the years when it comes to care reform, but this new report rightly observes that a fairer and more effective system is required to help the millions impacted by ineffective care or, in some cases, no care at all.
Age UK charity director Caroline Abrahams (PA)“This is the latest in a series of recent reports from organisations involved in social care, all of which reach many similar conclusions.
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“Government would do well to pay attention to this groundswell of opinion about the need for fundamental reform, while also acknowledging its responsibility to properly fund the system, give support and rights to our brilliant care workers, and live up to the promise to fix social care once and for all.”
Silver Voices director Dennis Reed said: “After promising to ‘fix social care once and for all’, this report reveals the extent of betrayal by the Conservative Government of older people and all those who need social care support.
“Radical action is needed by the next government to stop the social care system breaking down completely, with social care 'deserts' developing across the country.
“As a minimum in the necessary revamping of social care, there should be a universal entitlement to free personal care on the same basis as the NHS, care workers' pay should be raised to the same levels as equivalent NHS jobs, and at least £15billion extra is required each year to resolve unmet demand."
Shadow Care Minister Liz Kendall said: “Thirteen years of broken Tory promises has left our care system on its knees, with record staff vacancies and millions of older and disabled people without the care and support they need.
Shadow Care Minister Liz Kendall (itvpeston/Twitter)“Labour’s call for a 10-year plan of investment and reform includes many of the recommendations in this report, from tackling chronic staff shortages, improving support for unpaid family carers and offering more care options so that people can stay in their own home which is where they want to be.”
Lib Dem health spokeswoman Daisy Cooper accused the Tories of putting social care “through the wringer leaving millions of older and vulnerable people struggling to get the care they need to live a dignified and independent life”.
The Mirror is campaigning for Fair Care for All.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We are reforming adult social care and remain fully committed to the 10-year vision set out in the People at the Heart of Care white paper published in 2021.
“To do this, we have made up to £7.5 billion available in additional funding to support adult social care and discharge over the next two years. This historic funding boost will put the system on a stronger financial footing and help local authorities address waiting lists, low fee rates, and workforce pressures.
“In April 2023, we have also published the Next steps to put People at the Heart of Care plan and setting out how we are spending £700 million on adult social care reform over the next two years – including £250million for the social care workforce to develop their skills and careers and fund new training schemes.”
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