Social care: funding and workforce
The report Social care funding and workforce by the Health and Social Care Committee sets out a number of recommendations and options for reform including the need for an immediate funding increase and more support for the workforce.
BASW England provided written evidence to the review calling for urgent intervention including vital funding and support for social care and the need for longer-term wholesale reform.
The report acknowledges that the call for more funding comes at a time when public finances are stretched due to COVID 19, however that funding will also help the NHS, underlining the interwoven relationship of the NHS and social care systems.
The ongoing pressures on the social care system were further evidenced this week with a new report by CarersUK Caring behind closed doors: six months on which shows the pandemic has resulted in millions of new carers, each providing more care than ever, with many left exhausted and at breaking point.
Their report shows an alarming number of carers are feeling exhausted and burnt out, providing more care than before and the demise of support services during the pandemic adding extra pressures to carers.
Funding for social care has been overlooked for too long.
With demand for care rising, social workers see the devastating impact of an underfunded social care system on individuals, families and carers.
BASW continues to supports the urgent need for investment and reform in social care services and we hope to see the spending review planned for November address these issues.
We need meaningful change for adult social care and investment that will build a thriving social care workforce for our future.
We also want an end to austerity in public services, including cuts to LA budgets which have hit vital services for older people, children, families, individuals and carers so hard in the last decade.