This week the Prime Minister set out his plans for a National Care Service in his speech at the Labour Party Conference.
Below, the County Councils Network responds to the announcement.
Cllr Bill Revans, County Councils Network Adult Social Care Spokesperson, said:
“We welcome the government's ambition to reform adult social care and continue to support Baroness Casey and her Commission's work to hold a Big Conversation on what care is, who should get the most help, and who should pay for what.
“CCN has long advocated that we establish the outcomes, principles and model of care and support, before determining the funding arrangements needed to make this sustainable. We continue to work with Baroness Casey, her team, politicians, and officials to proactively feed into this vital work. Any national care service must ensure councils remain at the heart of delivery, and county and rural realities are recognised and accounted for. We will continue to collaborate as the debate progresses into funding models and ensure proposals work for every postcode.
“However, we do need an immediate and urgent focus on the interim financial position. We now know that substantial adult social care reform is at least three years away. Nationally, projections for CCN show the costs of delivering adult social care services will rise £13.3bn between 2025/26 and 2028/29. CCN member councils will witness the largest increase in spending pressures, totalling £6.3bn over this period.
“Councils need an adequate multi-year settlement so that we can continue to meet growing needs for care and cover rising costs for employers. We cannot reform a system that has collapsed in the meantime.”
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