Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Rejected
Set out and publish a roadmap with KPIs for delivering the adult social care vision.
Recommendation
The Department faces significant challenges in delivering its ‘vision’ for adult social care reform, and Parliament and the sector must be able to hold it to account for its progress. It is worrying that the Department has no roadmap for achieving its 10-year vision for adult social care, or any targets or milestones beyond 2025. Though we agree that some flexibility to adapt as the Department learns has merit, there is currently nothing meaningful in place to demonstrate progress towards targets. With charging reform postponed, system reform scaled back and limited progress from the Department even on its reduced ambition for system reform, we cannot help but be sceptical as to whether the vision is still achievable. The 8 Reforming adult social care in England Department has given us little assurance that charging reform, delayed to October 2025, can be delivered on schedule; work will need to start soon but funding for it will depend on the next spending review. We are encouraged that the Department says it is monitoring local authorities’ capacity to deliver charging reform alongside system reform and other departmental initiatives but somewhat concerned that it is not yet sequencing activity to alleviate pressure. Recommendation 6: The Department should set out a roadmap for delivering its vision, pulling together all its reform activity (system reform and charging reform), and the risks to delivery with key performance indicators and should publish six-monthly updates on progress to time and budget. Reforming adult social care in England 9 1 Funding and delivery structures for adult social care
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with the recommendation to publish a roadmap with KPIs and six-monthly updates, stating it cannot commit to this approach. It will set out details of the next phase of reform following the next spending review and will consider the value of publishing regular progress reports.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. The department welcomes further opportunities to set out its plans to deliver its vision for adult social care reform and to be held to account for progress against it but cannot currently commit to the approach recommended. In addition to the published 10-year vision, set out in the white paper People at the Heart of Care in December 2021, a further update on reform activity was detailed in Next Steps to Put People at the Heart of Care published in April 2023. The department has been clear that plans are subject to future spending reviews and fiscal events. Future reform activity will be informed by lessons learned during the current spending review period. The department will set out details of the next phase of reform following the next spending review. The department will consider the value of publishing regular progress reports and will report to the Committee as per normal processes on the remainder of these recommendations.