Widening The Debate On Social Care Reform Beyond A Cap On Costs

In response to the widespread speculation that a social care reform announcement is imminent, the National Care Forum has reissued their ambitions for the social care of the future. These have been formed through widespread engagement with members, and through detailed research and learning from the experience of the social care sector throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

Vic Rayner, CEO of the National Care Forum says:

“It is vital that any government proposals provide long-term ambition for people and communities rather than quick fixes. Reform must move beyond the narrow focus on capping costs if we are to have a proper public debate. Social care changes lives: it is a fundamental part of enabling people of all ages to live the lives that they want to lead, it supports unpaid carers to continue to be active parts of their communities, it ensures that health services are used only at the point of acute need. Social care is part of the fabric and functioning of each and every street across the country and matters to us all. We need to be talking about what kind of social care system we want now and in the future.

“The government must take this opportunity to be ambitious for social care, fulfil its multiple commitments to do so and make sure reform and investment in social care is sustainable for the long-term. Our detailed paper sets out key indicators on what social care reform must include and the underlying principles that underpin the recommendations.

“The wait for social care reform has been far too long. We owe it to everyone who receives care and support now and will need it in the future to have a social care system that can be a source of individual and national pride. To get there we need an ambitious reform agenda with people at the heart of it and underpinned by sustainability, innovation and investment in the incredible workforce. The government must act now to prioritise social care.”