Social Care Out In The Cold?

Care England, the largest representative body for independent providers of adult social care, has expressed concern that once again the social care sector has been left out of new funding for NHS for winter.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England says:

“Whist we welcome the Government’s announcement to boost the NHS’ resilience to cope with the inevitable pressures this forthcoming winter it is futile if the social care sector is over looked.  Every winter we see the NHS receive new funding whilst social care does not”.

On 7th September the DHSC announced that hospitals would receive £145 million to prepare for winter demand. The money will be spent on upgrading wards, redeveloping A&Es and extra beds at NHS trusts across England.

Martin Green continues:

“We hope however that the NHS will ensure that it works with the independent care sector to use existing spare capacity in care homes.  The Department of Health and Social Care needs to demonstrate its understanding of the system or revert to type and be called the Department of Health and dispense with the social care”.