Care leaders respond after CQC highlights ‘care injustice’

Leaders and experts have called for urgent Government action after the CQC yesterday highlighted growing ‘injustice’ within the social care system.

The comments followed the CQC’s publication of its annual State of Care report yesterday (see BREAKING NEWS: CQC warns of growing ‘care injustice’).

SCIE CEO Tony Hunter said: “The CQC is right to highlight that, while most people receive good quality care, their experiences are often determined by how well different parts of local systems work together.”

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Cllr David Williams, County Councils Network spokesman for health and social care, and leader of Hertfordshire County Council, said the report showed investing in the NHS and not social are was a “false economy”.

“Without policy and resource directed towards care in the community, with councils at the heart of integration, there is a risk we store up problems for the future,” Cllr Williams added.

“If all of the NHS’ windfall is spent within the national service, then this funding will be spent treating people in crisis, rather than in preventative care that keeps them out of hospital and allows them to live independent and healthier lives for longer. This should give ministers food for thought when deciding how and where to distribute this money.”

Richard Kramer, Chief Executive of disability charity Sense, said the Government’s lack of urgency on social care was “alarming”.

He added: “We hope there is no further delay to the promised Green Paper and that it addresses the way the health and social care sector need to work together to ensure everyone can access good quality care. The paper must also fully take into consideration not only the ageing population but also the needs of working-age disabled people particularly those with the most complex needs.”

Alex Khaldi, Partner and Head of Social Care Insights, Grant Thornton UK LLP, said the Green Paper needed to address both the short term funding issues as well as put forward long-term sustainable reforms to help rebuild the failing system.