The Social Care Foundation (SCF), a UK-wide think tank, today publishes a wide-ranging report on the state and future of social care in Britain.
Damian Green, a former Conservative deputy prime minister and author of the report, Who Cares?
Solutions for the Social Care Review, warns that successive Tory and Labour governments have left social care “in limbo” and that Britain can no longer afford to ignore an unfolding crisis.
Aimed at informing the Independent Commission into Adult Social Care, chaired by Baroness Louise Casey, the report calls for bold and decisive action to transform how adult care is funded, delivered – and how it integrates with the NHS – with 35 key recommendations, including:
• the creation of a National Care System with money awarded to individuals on the basis of a standardised assessment of entitlement to care.
• the abolition of funding and care provision by local authorities
• the introduction of a Health and Care Levy and/or a pension-style Care Supplement
• a “massive” increase in later life housing provision with planning policies “strengthened” to meet the needs of Britain’s ageing population.
The report also advocates an elder care commissioner to champion change and a national “My Care” portal to eliminate confusion in navigating the care system.
In his foreword to the report, Damian Green, the SCF Chair, argues that for several decades, successive governments have grappled with the problems of social care but failed to deliver meaningful reform.
He believes change is not only urgent but must be radical, adding: “Social care cannot wait years for a solution to its crisis. It needs radical change in the way it is funded, the way it works with the NHS, the way it uses technology and the way its workforce is valued. These changes need to come quickly.”
Dr Robert D. Kilgour, founder of the SCF, said: “This report is not just another diagnosis of the challenges facing social care – it is a blueprint for meaningful reform. The Social Care Foundation has brought together practical, evidence-based solutions that can be implemented now to build a fairer, more sustainable system. We invite policymakers across the UK to engage with these ideas and help turn ambition into action.”
Professor Martin Green OBE, chief executive of Care England, added: “The Social Care Foundation’s report provides a route map for the long-term sustainability of social care. Millions of people rely on social care, and this report gives clear and deliverable recommendations for the sector’s long-term future.
I hope it will be received positively by the Government, and by Baroness Louise Casey, and used as the foundation of her policy review.”
Sam Monaghan, chief executive of Methodist Homes (MHA), the UK’s largest charity care provider, said: “This report offers a clear and timely set of solutions to some of the most pressing challenges in adult social care. It reflects the lived realities of those who draw on care and those who deliver it, and it points the way toward a system that is fairer, more joined-up, and rooted in dignity. I hope policymakers will take this opportunity to act with urgency and ambition.”
