Recommendations & Conclusions
21 items
1
Recommendation
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
The case for making a sustained investment in social care has never been stronger– the toll the pandemic has taken on this sector means that social care is no longer a hidden problem, but one that the country as a whole understands. We urge the Government to now address this …
Government response. Details of the level of funding provided to the social care system during the COVID-19 pandemic and at the 2020 Spending Review can be found in the section; Preface: Adult Social Care Funding. 4.1 As outlined in the Preface, as …
Department of Health and Social Care
2
Conclusion
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
It is clear from the evidence we have heard that funding shortfalls are having a serious negative impact on the lives of those who use the social care system, as well impacting the pay levels of the workforce and threatening the sustainability of the care market. An immediate funding increase …
Government response. Details of the level of funding provided to the social care system during the COVID-19 pandemic and at the 2020 Spending Review can be found in the section; Preface: Adult Social Care Funding. 4.1 As outlined in the Preface, as …
Department of Health and Social Care
3
Conclusion
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
The crisis in social care funding has been brought into sharp focus by the COVID-19 pandemic, and this must now be addressed by Government as a matter of the utmost urgency. The funding increase we are calling for is significant at a time when public finances are likely to be …
Government response. Details of the level of funding provided to the social care system during the COVID-19 pandemic and at the 2020 Spending Review can be found in the section; Preface: Adult Social Care Funding.
Department of Health and Social Care
4
Conclusion
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
We believe the starting point must be an increase in annual funding of £3.9 bn by 2023–24 to meet demographic changes and planned increases in the National Living Wage. However such an increase alone will not address shortfalls in the quality of care currently provided, reverse the decline in access …
Government response. 5.1 The level of funding outlined in the Preface will support local authorities to maintain care services in 2021-22. We have also provided additional funding to help councils meet COVID-19 pressures, and we will continue to monitor the situation on …
Department of Health and Social Care
5
Recommendation
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
Alongside such a long term funding settlement we strongly believe the government should publish a 10 year plan for the social care sector as it has done for the NHS. The two systems are increasingly linked and it makes no sense to put in place long term plans for one …
Government response. 5.4 Currently the Government’s priority for adult social care is that all recipients of care receive the support they need throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the winter period, with equal focus on the NHS and social care. Whilst Government published …
Department of Health and Social Care
6
Conclusion
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
It is vital that the supply of PPE to social care providers is protected in the event of any future surges of coronavirus so that providers can be confident in their access to PPE. (Paragraph 43) Social care: funding and workforce 35
Government response. 6.1 In response to the additional demand for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from the adult social care sector this year, the Government has ensured that there is an emergency supply of PPE in place, whilst building a longer-term solution for …
Department of Health and Social Care
7
Recommendation
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
The Government must ensure that standards for weekly testing for care home staff are maintained including rapid turnaround times and that regular data is published on the number of tests delivered to social care staff and residents. In addition, the Government should consider extending routine testing beyond care homes to …
Government response. 6.5 Making tests available is a key part of the Government’s ongoing plan to tackle COVID-19. This relates to several contexts in adult social care: Care Homes Care homes are on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19 and we …
Department of Health and Social Care
8
Recommendation
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
Improving the level of recognition afforded to social care workers must be a key focus for the Government to safeguard the future of the social care workforce. Not to do so would be to fail the many thousands of care workers who have worked so tirelessly during the coronavirus pandemic. …
Government response. 7.20 The social care workforce has demonstrated compassion and dedication in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. They have worked at the front line, supporting people at the heart of their communities. We want to increase recognition of the social care …
Department of Health and Social Care
9
Conclusion
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
We welcome the Government’s commitment to bringing forward a long-term solution to low pay in social care. It is essential that this solution provides a sustainable basis for continued rises in pay above and beyond increases to the National Minimum Wage and in line with increases given to NHS staff. …
Government response. Details of the level of funding provided to the social care system during the COVID-19 pandemic and at the 2020 Spending Review can be found in the preface to these responses. 7.1 We recognise the hard work of all social …
Department of Health and Social Care
10
Recommendation
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
The Government must use the forthcoming Spending Review to ensure that there is a sustainable funding settlement to provide for competitive pay for social care workers which ensures parity with NHS staff and is reflective of the skilled nature of social care work. Parity could be achieved by linking social …
Government response. Details of the level of funding provided to the social care system during the COVID-19 pandemic and at the 2020 Spending Review can be found in the preface to these responses. 7.1 We recognise the hard work of all social …
Department of Health and Social Care
11
Recommendation
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
Inadequate employment conditions undermine the sustainability of the social care workforce and have been brought into sharp relief by the coronavirus pandemic. As well as addressing issues of pay within the social care sector, we recommend that the Government bring forward proposals to support the improvement of employment conditions in …
Government response. Details of the level of funding provided to the social care system during the COVID-19 pandemic and at the 2020 Spending Review can be found in the preface to these responses. 7.1 We recognise the hard work of all social …
Department of Health and Social Care
12
Conclusion
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
The Secretary of State has committed to increasing the alignment between the training of NHS and social care staff and his stated ambition being to make it easier for a registered nurse, for example, to move between the NHS and social care is an important one. We await more detail …
Government response. 7.11 Ensuring we have a workforce with the right skills, knowledge and with real prospects for career progression is vital to the current and future state of adult social care. 7.12 Investment in training and qualifications provides opportunities for career …
Department of Health and Social Care
13
Recommendation
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
As part of its long-term proposals for the future of social care, we recommend that the Government work with Skills for Care and the social care sector to bring forward a plan to streamline the training of social care workers in order to improve routes of entry to the profession …
Government response. 7.20 The social care workforce has demonstrated compassion and dedication in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. They have worked at the front line, supporting people at the heart of their communities. We want to increase recognition of the social care …
Department of Health and Social Care
14
Recommendation
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
The Government must ensure that transitional arrangements are in place to ensure that social care workers can continue to be recruited from overseas for as long as it takes to build sufficient resilience in the domestic supply of social care workers. We agree with the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) that …
Government response. 7.24 We recognise the end of free movement between the UK and the EU means the majority of roles in adult social care will not be eligible for a sponsored work visa. Currently, 7% of the adult social care workforce …
Department of Health and Social Care
15
Recommendation
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
We are concerned that lower qualified social care workers and those without qualifications at all are not eligible for the new NHS visa, not least because it undermines parity of esteem between the health and social care sectors. The Government should accept the MAC’s recent recommendation to add senior social …
Government response. 7.28 Within the social care workforce, nurses, occupational therapists and social workers are eligible for the Health and Care Visa. Additionally, we are reviewing the list of eligible occupations since the launch of the expanded skills threshold under the new …
Department of Health and Social Care
16
Conclusion
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
The current system is unfair, confusing, demeaning, and frightening for the most vulnerable people in our society, and their families. It is therefore essential that the Government tackle the problems in the care sector as a priority. The success of the reforms in Japan has demonstrated that it is possible …
Government response. Details of the level of funding provided to the social care system during the COVID-19 pandemic and at the 2020 Spending Review can be found in the section; Preface: Adult Social Care Funding. 8.1 We are acutely aware of the …
Department of Health and Social Care
17
Conclusion
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
The Lords Economic Affairs Committee’s report makes a persuasive case for the introduction of free personal care. This would cost around £5bn per year, which is only a small fraction of what is currently spent on NHS care. It would also simplify the current confusing arrangements for people who need …
Government response. Details of the level of funding provided to the social care system during the COVID-19 pandemic and at the 2020 Spending Review can be found in the section; Preface: Adult Social Care Funding. 8.1 We are acutely aware of the …
Department of Health and Social Care
18
Conclusion
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
We also strongly endorse a lifetime cap on care costs which could be implemented swiftly under the provisions of the Care Act 2014. Such a change would focuses resources on the most severely affected people, protecting those with very high care needs–and remove the injustice which sees the NHS cover …
Government response. Details of the level of funding provided to the social care system during the COVID-19 pandemic and at the 2020 Spending Review can be found in the section; Preface: Adult Social Care Funding. 8.1 We are acutely aware of the …
Department of Health and Social Care
19
Conclusion
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating consequences both for vulnerable people using social care, and for the committed professional workforce that provide that care. These challenges have been exacerbated by long-standing funding and workforce issues which need to be recognised by the government in a social care reform package that …
Government response. Details of the level of funding provided to the social care system during the COVID-19 pandemic and at the 2020 Spending Review can be found in the section; Preface: Adult Social Care Funding. 8.1 We are acutely aware of the …
Department of Health and Social Care
20
Conclusion
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
We believe that the starting point for the social care funding increase must be an additional £7bn per year by 2023–24 to cover demographic changes, uplift staff pay in line with the National Minimum Wage and to protect people who face catastrophic social care costs. This represents a 34% increase …
Government response. Details of the level of funding provided to the social care system during the COVID-19 pandemic and at the 2020 Spending Review can be found in the section; Preface: Adult Social Care Funding. 8.1 We are acutely aware of the …
Department of Health and Social Care
21
Conclusion
Third Report - Social care: funding and…
But we are clear that this is only a starting point. It will not provide any improvement in access to care, which is urgently needed and would be improved through introducing free personal care as recommended by previous select committee reports from both the Lords and the Commons, which we …
Government response. Details of the level of funding provided to the social care system during the COVID-19 pandemic and at the 2020 Spending Review can be found in the section; Preface: Adult Social Care Funding. 8.1 We are acutely aware of the …
Department of Health and Social Care