Government Set To Engage With Social Care Sector Over Fair Pay Agreement
Care workers could see their first ever Fair Pay Agreement next year, under plans unveiled by care minister Stephen Kinnock.
The undertaking comes in the adult social care winter letter 2024 to 2025 in which the care minister sets out his priorities for improving service resilience
The letter sets out priorities for improving service resilience in the short term, ahead of and during the winter period.
The key principles guiding these short-term priorities are similar to those that will underpin that longer-term reform:
• a ‘home first’ approach that supports people to live independently for as long as possible
• a relentless focus on ensuring high-quality care
• close involvement of people receiving care and their families and carers
As part of this, the care minister recognised the ‘ongoing workforce challenges’ faced by adult social care services, and said the government was committed to working with the sector to ‘tackle these challenges together’.
‘Care workers deserve to be recognised and supported for the important work they do,’ said Mr Kinnock.
‘They are essential to those who draw on care and support, helping them maintain their quality of life, independence and connection to the things that matter to them.’
While hoping to improve domestic and international recruitment and retention, Mr Kinnock reiterated the government’s manifesto pledge for a ‘fair pay agreement’ for those working in the sector.
‘Looking beyond this winter, we will engage with the sector including workers and trade unions over establishing the first ever fair pay agreement for care professionals,’ he said.
‘We will shortly be reaching out to sector partners about this and look forward to engaging with local government representatives and drawing on the wealth of expertise within local authorities to help shape these landmark reforms.’
Mr Kinnock also said he looked forward to working with the sector ‘as we embark upon an ambitious long-term programme of reform with a view to creating a National Care Service’.
Mr Kinnock added: ‘Close partnership working and joint planning between adult social care, the NHS and other community partners is vital to the successful delivery of these priorities.’
Alongside workforce, other priorities for the winter included that it was ‘essential’ for local health and care systems to continue to support individuals providing care for their family and friends.
In addition, he pointed to a letter from NHS England which focused on the need to prevent avoidable hospital admissions and support timely discharge over the winter period.
Local authorities were also asked to ensure ‘good business continuity plans are in place for a range of risks in the winter period which could affect adult social care provision’, including preparations for the potential implications of severe winter weather.
In closing, Mr Kinnock said: ‘I would like to express my thanks for your work to drive improvement in local services and better meet the needs of people who draw on care and support, particularly in the context of the financial challenges that I know local authorities continue to face. I look forward to working with you in future.’
