Adult Social Care reform – Rinse and Repeat or New Cycle.
Following the press release 3/1/25 announcing new reforms and independent commission to transform social care, I wondered how many consultations, green and white papers, frameworks and laws, consultations and websites have we had?
I got to 36 and gave up! It will take years to read, no wonder we aren’t getting any proposed action until 2028.
2010, Dilnot’s commission proposed a plan, we seemed to be following that and ramping up services to cope, until it cost too much to implement (HS2 springs to mind) and ground to a halt, no pun intended.
2015, the Care Act 2014 was implemented, followed by delayed and scrapped caps, new frameworks, and websites, ICB’s, revised NHS medium- and long-term plans, papers for putting people first, building back better, and on, and on, and on…
Why does it matter? We need change
Without political bias, and like so many, I am worried for our future, tired of the heartache and misery that this chaos means for our loved ones and community.
The most vulnerable and poorly being neglected and overlooked because the NHS and Social Care system can’t cope, even with the dedication of its tireless workforce, who are under incredible, unsustainable strain and levels of stress.
We can’t blame COVID – 19. For many, many years there has been a shortfall in funding and growing pressure on Health and Social Care budgets, services and staff.
A step towards a long-term solution?
Perhaps. Acknowledging the problem is a step forward. But years of U-turns and hastily proposed changes have left us wary of promises, raised hope, pressure and expectation but brought little change.
New reforms announced Jan 2025
A press release 3/1/25 announces new reforms and independent commission to transform social care “kickstarting work on the necessary long-term reform to overhaul social care”
Independent commission – Baroness Louise Casey appointed to head independent commission to consider ‘new national care service’ and build cross-party consensus.
Baroness Casey undoubtedly has the experience to lead this commission but how will it differ from the Fabian Society comprehensive plan for how to deliver on the Labour party’s ambition to create a National Care Service in England, in June 2023?
Disabled Facilities Grant – £86 million boost
Harnessing the power of care technology – immediate action improve career pathways for care workers and new national standards to ensure providers and families use the best care technology.
Upskilling carers – Care workers will be better supported to take on further duties to deliver health interventions, such as blood pressure checks, meaning people can receive more routine checks and care at home without needing to travel to healthcare settings.
Shared digital platform – allow up-to-date medical information to be shared between the NHS and care staff
Timeline for change
PHASE 1
2026 – The first phase, reporting in 2026, will identify the critical issues facing adult social care and set out recommendations for effective reform and improvement in the medium term
PHASE 2
2028 – The second phase, reporting by 2028, will make longer-term recommendations for the transformation of adult social care
A glimmer of hope
Good to see in a recent Guardian article, Wes Streeting – secretary of state for health and social care acknowledging “previous reviews on different aspects of social care, including Andrew Dilnot’s work on care costs, will be fed into the commission. It’s fair to say that it won’t be starting from scratch”
For those who contributed to the recent cost of inaction consultation, there’s hope that these reforms will finally bring clarity. We can only hope they’ll provide a framework that allows us to manage our expectations—and, more importantly, deliver the meaningful change our loved ones and communities so desperately need.
