Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 1
1
Paragraph: 18
We were unable properly to scrutinise the effects of Care Act easements on disabled people...
Recommendation
We were unable properly to scrutinise the effects of Care Act easements on disabled people because there are no published data, for example on the number and categories of people, or the types of social care services, affected. The Government must demonstrate that it is keeping local authorities’ use of Care Act easements under thorough review and allow for proper scrutiny of data on the effects on disabled people. We welcome the Government’s commitment to publishing Think Local Act Personal’s report on the effects as part of the six-monthly review process. We urge the Government to ensure the report and all the accompanying data are published before the forthcoming six-monthly review and vote in the House, and each subsequent six- monthly review debate and vote, on temporary Coronavirus Act provisions, so that they can be used to inform the debates.
Paragraph Reference:
18
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
11. The Government has been very clear that Care Act easements should only be used when absolutely necessary. To date, only eight local authorities out of 151 with social service responsibility have used easements to ensure they are able to meet the most urgent and acute care and support needs. There are currently no local authorities operating under easements. 12. Think Local, Act Personal (TLAP) published their findings ‘A Telling Experience: Understanding the Impact of Covid-19 on People who Access Care and Support – A Rapid Evidence Review with Recommendations’ on 13 October 2020. The report is available here: https://www.thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk/covid-19/tlap-insight-group/TIG-report/ 13. With the data available, it was not possible to reach a clear conclusion regarding the specific impact of Care Act easements for people who access care and support. Impact data highlighted the difficulties of attributing change to Care Act easements directly, as opposed to the wider impact of Covid-19. 14. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will continue to work with Think Local, Act Personal (TLAP) and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) to understand the impact of Covid-19 for those with care and support needs. 15. DHSC’s Chief Social Workers regularly engage with the social care sector through the Adult Principal Social Workers (PSW) Network and have used this network to understand the rationale for easements being taken in specific geographies. These conversations have shown that all local authorities are engaging with individuals, following the guidance on Care Act easements, and that the Ethical Framework for Adult Social Care is being embedded in practice. The Ethical Framework was published on 19 March to support the planning and organisation of adult social care during the pandemic outbreak. 16. The Chief Social Workers are content that the Care Act easements have been used appropriately and that every consideration was given to the impact on individuals with care and support needs in the local authorities that used the easements.