Source · Select Committees · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 21
21
Acknowledged
Given how fundamentally social care policies made by DHSC affect local authorities’ capacity, budgets, and...
Conclusion
Given how fundamentally social care policies made by DHSC affect local authorities’ capacity, budgets, and residents, it is vital that DHSC and DLUHC work together closely on developing and delivering such policies. We were struck by the discrete division of answers to questions by Ministers, who rarely supplemented one another’s answers, and the separate follow-up letters that we received. The Government’s 10- year plan should be developed jointly between DHSC and DLUHC, with relevant input from the Department for Work and Pensions. We expect the Government response to our report to show clear evidence of joint working from the departments, rather than discrete sections according to the departments’ separate remits. (Paragraph 87) Long-term funding of adult social care 77 Housing and Planning
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the importance of health and care staff and integrated care systems working with local authorities, but emphasizes the distinct nature of the social care sector as primarily private.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
We are incredibly proud of all health and care staff and are grateful for their extraordinary commitment to their work. We welcome the spotlight that the pandemic shone on the heroic efforts of the adult social care workforce, and we hope this can continue to build to ensure that we as a society recognise and value adult social care in a similar way to the NHS. We are committed to supporting integrated care systems work with local authorities and care providers to improve the integration of health and care services, including enabling and promoting joined-up workforce planning. However, it is important to recognise that the social care sector and its structure is distinct from healthcare. The adult social care sector is primarily a private and independent sector with 17,700 separate employers. Most care workers are employed by private sector providers who set their pay, independent of central government. Private employers are best placed to make decisions on pay and reward, as they understand and respond to local market conditions for workforce supply and demand. Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities have a duty to manage their local care markets. The Care Act guidance states that they should assure themselves and have evidence that fee levels are appropriate to provide the agreed quality of care, enable providers to effectively support care users, and invest in staff development, innovation, and improvement. 30 Government response Conclusion 28 – the Shortage Occupation List Conclusion 28 - We welcome the addition of care workers, care assistants and domiciliary care workers to the Shortage Occupation List, acknowledging that these roles are in short supply within the UK resident labour market.