Source · Select Committees · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 28
28
Accepted
We welcome the addition of care workers, care assistants and domiciliary care workers to the...
Recommendation
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. The Government should monitor the impact of adding care workers to the Shortage Occupation List on vacancies and be prepared to extend the visa period beyond 12 months, to lower the salary threshold, or both. (Paragraph 119) Unpaid carers
Government Response Summary
The government outlines existing funding allocated to support timely and safe discharge from hospitals through social care and reablement services, and integrated care boards commissioning step-down bed-based capacity.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government recognises the positive impact that central funding has had to facilitate the Discharge to Assess approach, particularly in improving patient flow and alleviating pressures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The government allocated £500 million in 2022–23 to support timely and safe discharge from hospital through investment in social care and reablement services. In addition, the government provided £200 million of funding to enable integrated care boards to go further in commissioning step-down bed-based capacity and associated clinical and therapeutic support. Over 2023–24 and 2024–25, the government is providing £1.6 billion which can be spent flexibly by local areas on a range of measures to support timely and effective hospital discharge and free up hospital beds. Both 2022–23 discharge funding and the further funding committed for 2023–24 and 2024–25 are designed to support more consistent implementation of discharge to assess and ‘home first’ as best practice approaches.