Adult Social Care Reform: The Cost of Inaction - evidence to Health and Social Care Select Committee inquiry
Among the pledges on social care in the government’s election manifesto were to develop local partnership working between the NHS and social care on hospital discharge, to establish a Fair Pay Agreement (FPA) in adult social care and to build consensus for the longer-term reform needed to create a sustainable National Care Service.
The Employment Rights Bill, which enables the government to establish a FPA process in the adult social care sector, is currently going through Parliament. There has, however, been a lack of detail surrounding the wider proposed National Care Service.
In the 2024 Autumn Budget, the government announced an additional £22.6 billion of resource spending for DHSC in 2025/26. However, there was only £600 million of new grant funding to support social care. While providing much-needed support for the sector, this will not go far enough in tackling longstanding underinvestment.
Health leaders have warned that the lack of funding for social care is one of the biggest risks to the future sustainability of the health and care system and the health of the nation. In addition to the lack of funding, the way funding is allocated and its impact measured further undermine the ability of local health and care services to meet population need for care. Longer-term funding cycles, better alignment of funding cycles across Whitehall departments and the outcomes measured by the centre are all calls the NHS Confederation has been making to governments as parts of the solution for a number of years. Additionally, a National Integrated Care Partnership Forum would help drive better local partnership working between the NHS and social care.
An effective and well-functioning social care system plays a crucial role in the delivery of whole health and care system objectives, the government’s stated aims of their health mission, and most critically of all, in ensuring patients get the best possible care at the right time, in the right setting.
