Vic Rayner, CEO of the National Care Forum (NCF) – the leading association for not for profit
care providers responds to the Public Accounts Committee report on the Adult Social Care
Markets published today:
“The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) share the ambitions of the NCF in relation to the
urgent need for long term planning around the funding and workforce for social care. The
Committee recognise the impact of funding cuts and how that results in authorities paying
below the cost of care. This is not sustainable and the medium term response to date has
involved short term sticking plasters which have done enough to steady the ship, but not to
stop the water rising. The timing of the Report is very pertinent, as it recognises the intense
financial pressure that providers face, and the need for the government to lay out the vital
support needed to comply with government guidance in a manner that will enable care
providers to plan and prepare for the ongoing challenges that COVID-19 presents to those
running care services.
“The Report brings to the fore the very real challenges of cross subsidy arrangements within
care, determining that those who pay for their care often do so at a price that is much
higher than that which any local authority will pay. However, the Committee does not go far
enough in terms of calling out the inequity of that cross subsidy arrangement, and they
should be arguing for a fair price for care – one where everyone pays the same – whether
they have their care paid for by the local authority or they pay themselves. NCF have called
for this in our Reform Agenda, as we agree with the Committee that the costs of care should be transparent, but at the same time, they must be paid for. It is absolutely not acceptable
for any government or local authority to countenance the position outlined by the
Committee where it states that ‘most local authorities pay providers below the cost of care’.
“Furthermore, the Public Accounts Committee calls for a long term workforce plan.
Investment in the social care workforce is essential to address issues around pay,
professionalisation, skills and competences, and will also support key challenges for the
sector around recruitment, retention and turnover. We agree with the Committee that a
concerted commitment to social care reform must be laid before parliament as a matter of
urgency if we are to make the vital changes that are so urgently needed.”
NCF also responds to the ADASS report published today. Rayner continues:
“It is noted that Directors of social services are seeing at the frontline the very real
challenges that communities face in accessing a social care system that is desperately in
need of meaningful reform. Their report also tells a tale of increasing demand, combined
with real concerns about the ability of social care services to deliver the very things that
people need in a COVID world. The NCF supports the call by the new ADASS president,
Stephen Chandler, for a long term 10-year plan for social care.”