Health and Social Care

It is widely accepted that the status quo is no longer an option; with social care services under intense pressure across the country. The government’s forthcoming green paper is expected to outline steps that seek to make social care services more sustainable in the future. CCN has begun influencing the debate ahead of the green paper, with the network publishing a new report setting out key policy positions, such as the support for a fully-costed cap on care, the need for government to be bold on financial reform. Importantly, the report warns that change is unlikely to be successful if parts, or all, of social care are taken out of local government’s hands.

At the same time, councils have worked tirelessly to reduce delayed transfers of care and wider pressures on the NHS, reducing delayed days attributable to social care by 40% since July 2017 – showing that investing in local government delivers clear results. However, it is imperative that the government’s green paper shifts the emphasis away from crisis care, to focus on preventing people entering acute settings and remaining healthier and independent for as long as possible.