Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 2
2
Paragraph: 25
Care Act easements are available as a last resort for local authorities, to help them...
Conclusion
Care Act easements are available as a last resort for local authorities, to help them prioritise care and support for people with higher levels of need, should resources become overstretched to a dangerous degree, potentially threatening life. We were concerned about evidence from the Local Government Association that some local authorities had taken a pre-emptive approach, triggering an easement in case it became necessary. We were disappointed to hear that Ministers were unaware that this approach had been taken. The Minister for Disabled People was clear that it was against the Government’s guidance.
Paragraph Reference:
25
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.