Health Foundation response to CQC State of Care report

The Care Quality Commission has today (10 October) published its annual assessment of the quality of health and social care in England. Commenting on the report published today, Ruth Thorlby, Assistant Director of Policy, said:

'We welcome this report’s findings that, broadly speaking, the quality of health care is holding up. This achievement is testament to the hard work of NHS and social care professionals, who are working under immense pressures. However, the report highlights areas of concern, particularly that waiting times have increased for vulnerable people, particularly older people, as well as children and young people with mental health problems.

'We need an integrated, national approach to health and social care to address the concerns the report raises, to achieve better health and health care for everyone. The good will and hard work of the NHS’s workforce will not alone solve the problems in the wider system that are resulting in poor care.

'The additional £2bn made available by the Chancellor in the Spring budget was a welcome acknowledgement of the pressure the adult social care sector is under. What is now required is a long-term sustainable solution for the future funding and quality of adult social care. As a start, clarity from government on what progress is being made would be helpful.'

Media contact

Liz Skinner

liz.skinner@health.org.uk

Telephone: 020 7257 8027