Social Care providers, based in Scarborough, are offering to help the Government create what they call a new ‘golden age’ for older, vulnerable and disabled adults.
They say the industry has a wealth of experience, ideas and advice that the Government should draw upon to create a new beginning for social care.
Mike Padgham, Chair of the care provider organisation, The Independent Care Group (ICG), says people are asking ‘what next?” for the sector.
“The answer has to lie with the knowledge and expertise that is available in social care,” said Mr Padgham.
“We would urge the Government to quickly work with the sector to find some quick-win solutions that will ease the crisis the sector is going through.”
He said the sector was currently in a vacuum, after the Government went back on a pre-election promise to introduce an £86,000 cap on social care costs, designed to prevent people from having to sell their home to pay for care. It also cut some social care training support.
The ICG says it isn’t too late to reverse those decisions and kick-start long overdue reform.
Mr Padgham added:
“To go back on that pre-election promise for social care, so soon after the election, was a disappointment and has damaged the fragile confidence the sector had in the new administration.
“It is early days, and we have to give the Government the benefit of the doubt, but we do need to see some positive steps to reassure the social care sector that it hasn’t been abandoned already.”
He said the most urgent priority was to address the pay of social care staff to address staff shortages that were harming the delivery of care and creating social care deserts.
“However it is done, we must switch funding into social care delivery to get better pay rewards and recognition for the staff or we won’t be able to meet current demand for care, let alone the huge rise in demand that is coming,” Mr Padgham added.
“The Government has promised a workforce strategy for social care and we need to see that arrive quickly.
“Social care looks after well over a million people and demand for that care is rising. It is estimated that 1.6m people can’t get the care they need.
“The sector employs 1.6m people and contributes £55.7bn to the economy. Some 80% of us will need care in our lifetimes and yet the sector is short of 131,000 staff. By 2040 we will need to recruit an extra 540,000 people.
“We have it in our power to reform and reshape social care to meet that demand, get care to those who need it and create a properly-paid workforce.
“We have it in our power to enjoy a golden age for social care, but we need the Government to see that and work with us to create it.”
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