Time to Act to Save Social Care in England says ADASS
With waiting lists spiralling leaving many of us who are older or disabled without the care we need, carers burnt out and staff leaving, social care leaders warn “we’ve run out of road” to carry on like this as they publish a roadmap to transform adult social care in England.
Time to act: a roadmap to reform care and support in England, says that there’s a consensus on what sort of care and support system we need, but for decades no political or collective will to make it happen.
The roadmap proposes how care and support could be transformed in England, focusing on 10 key areas for change: from improving housing options for those of us who are older or disabled, tackling the chronic social care staffing issues including pay and conditions, to supporting carers and making care more affordable.
It charts what needs to be done in the next two years, what changes are needed in two to five years and longer term over the next ten years to ensure that everyone who needs care and support, can access it, whoever they are and wherever they live in England. The report also includes examples already in train that are improving care and support for people.
The report was commissioned by Sarah McClinton, departing president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) and has been developed by social care experts Kate Jopling and Dr Anna Dixon. They studied research and thinking about social care reform from the past ten years and synthesised it into a practical action plan for change. It’s being presented to adult social care leaders at the ADASS Spring seminar today, a conference to discuss the challenges leaders face in the coming year, against a backdrop of the biggest crisis social care has ever faced, caused by years of under-investment.
Sarah McClinton, President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) said:
“After decades of false dawns on reforms and funding, never in my professional career have I seen the adult care system so close to breaking point. Millions of people are in pain or distress because they aren’t getting the care they need and family and friends picking up the pieces are being pushed to the edge.
“We’ve been trying to patch-up social care for years, but we’ve run out of road. We need to act now to save social care. We don’t expect the Government to wave a magic wand, but we do need the political will to invest in a long-term plan to ensure good care is available to everyone, everywhere.
“And the Government must back local leaders and local people to take charge of fixing care in their communities because they know what’s needed. What’s impressive in this report is that despite the odds we’ve faced – the pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, chronic underfunding – local people are showing what’s possible. But they need the backing of the whole country to make it happen everywhere.”
The report highlights changes that can be made today at a local level (p.13), many without the need for huge amounts of money. It also showcases innovative programmes around the country already providing solutions to some of the toughest challenges in improving care and support for people.
Report author Dr Anna Dixon said: “The good news is this report shows that when it comes to care and support, we all want the same thing: a fair system that enables everyone to live in the place we call home, with the people and things that we love, in communities where we look out for one another, doing what matters to us.”
Report author Kate Jopling said: “We know where we want to get to. Now is the time to act; for everyone to take responsibility and have the courage to say care and support is important to them.”
