THOUSANDS of people have been cheated out of a good quality of life due to years of inaction on social care reform, the Independent Care Group said today.
As the Health and Social Care Committee inquiry into the cost of inaction on social care began today, the provider organisation, The ICG says the lack of reform is a scandal that shames the country.
It is 14 years since the publication of the Commission on Funding of Care and Support’s ‘Fairer care funding’ report by Sir Andrew Dilnot. The committee, chaired by Layla Moran, is discussing the impact of inaction on social care in that period.
But the ICG says the period of inaction goes back over three decades and called for action to prevent even more people from going without the care they need.
ICG Chair Mike Padgham said: “Thousands of people being cheated out of the care they need to enjoy a good quality of life is the real cost of inaction on social care, which goes back three decades, not just 14 years.
“Whilst the Government has announced a commission on social care, we agree with Sir Andrew Dilnot when he told the committee today that it shouldn’t take three years for that commission to report. It needs strong political leadership to make it happen.
“We have now reached a point where there are 2m people living without the care they need and very little sign that things are going to get any better, with the current Government looking intent on kicking the issue down the road again.
“In 2025 that shames the country and shames politicians who have let it get so bad.”
The ICG is worried that the Government’s commission on social care will delay tackling the crisis.
Mr Padgham added: “The commission is welcome and as care providers with lots of expertise, knowledge and experience, we are keen to work with Baroness Casey and contribute to that process.
“But we are also very keen that it isn’t used as another delaying exercise and that action to improve social care happens in the meantime.
“We know the commission won’t report for the first time until at least mid-2026 then again in 2028 and who knows how long it will take to implement any recommendations. People going without care and providers who deliver care cannot wait that long for things to change.
“In the meantime, we call on the Government to take immediate action, invest the minimum £2bn extra needed to tackle short-term issues, pay social care staff properly and in line with their NHS colleagues and get on with creating a National Care Service that brings NHS and social care together under one roof.
“We can’t delay. After all, you don’t let rain fall into your home while you get a quote for a new roof.
“The Government is intent on reforming the NHS, but we cannot do that without fixing social care and we cannot wait until 2026 and beyond for that to begin.
“The warnings are very clear. The rise in Employer’s National Insurance Contributions and increases in the National Living and Minimum wages will add £2.8bn to providers’ costs and create real hardship this spring so we need action now to save the sector from further loss of provision.
“A survey of providers by the Care Provider Alliance found that 22% were planning to close their business; 73% will have to refuse new referrals from local authorities or the NHS; 57% planned to hand back some contracts and 64% feared having to make staff redundant.
“Years of inaction have taken a very heavy toll on people who need and rely upon social care and upon those who provide it. We cannot and must not wait any longer for reform to begin.”