Health Foundation response to social care plan

Charles Tallack, Director of Data Analytics at the Health Foundation, responding to the publication today by the Department for Health and Social Care of Next steps: putting people at the heart of care, said: 

‘Today’s plan is woefully insufficient to meet the challenges facing social care. Thousands of people are going without the care they need, and the sector is struggling to recruit and retain enough staff. People working in social care are among the lowest paid in society and more likely to live in poverty than other workers.  

‘Particularly disappointing is that government has watered down its already weak promises on social care workforce reform. The introduction of a ‘workforce pathway’ is no substitute for investment in pay and conditions. Given that the government has already shelved plans to introduce a cap to protect people against catastrophic care costs, today’s announcement is yet another broken promise. 

‘Adult social care in England needs fundamental reform, including policies to address growing levels of unmet need for care, improve pay and conditions for staff, and provide greater state protection against care costs. Reforming social care will require additional government investment but it is not unaffordable. If it chooses to, the government can afford to provide better, fairer and more generous care and support for vulnerable people in society. This plan falls well short and continues the legacy of government neglect of adult social care.’