14th July 2016

Mind the (investment) gap

Investment in Social Care is an investment for our Future.

National Care Association (NCA) is taking the concerns of small and medium sized care providers to the very heart of government. The NCA is highlighting the sector’s urgent concerns for the sustainability of long-term care for some of the most vulnerable members of our society, which is a direct response to the overwhelming demand for a more accessible national care provision. The NCA is calling for a clearer recognition of the essential role played by small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) who, as care home providers, are not only the backbone of the NHS but will also be the economic engine that provides the growth in future care provision our sector demands. 
 
NCA Chairman Nadra Ahmed OBE says: ‘There is a real opportunity to unite care providers and sector investors with government policy-makers and regulators to explore the future of national care provision, with particular emphasis on innovative solutions for new business models in partnerships between Government and Providers. At a time of turbulence in public services, it is essential for our country to demonstrate that, as a society, we recognise the value of essential care and support services for the frailest and most vulnerable members of our community, and – critically – that we create a progressive road-map for users and providers alike to ensure sustainable and successful continuity of our care home sector. It is essential that we close the gap and ensure that we get social care provision back on track’.
 
‘Sadly, the systematic underfunding of social care by national and local government is creating instability and commentators are alluding to the collapse of the independent social care market, which could, in turn, mean that thousands of vulnerable people will struggle to access care and support at a time when they are the most in need. Our challenge is to ensure that this does not happen – we have to be the voice of those who cannot speak out for themselves. Social Care remains the backbone of the NHS; without it we know that the NHS would be unsustainable. Ironically public perception of social care provision is driven by a media that continues to focus on appalling failings in the NHS establishment and re-focusing it on social care provision. We believe that it is time independent social care providers should not only be heard but valued for their contribution to the wider community and the public we serve.”
 
Councils will have to save £941 million from their 2016/17 adult social care budgets, but costs are rising and more people need care and support. Only 31% (three in ten) directors of adult social services are fully confident they can achieve these savings. 
 
 
 
Social care is under increasing financial pressure. 65% of directors of adult social services confirm providers in their areas have been forced to close in the past six months.
 
 
 
 
Statistics show that 90% of residential and nursing care services are now delivered by independent providers. The predicted shrinkage would see residents forced into the NHS’s local general hospitals, who themselves are already under substantial pressure and who will see their own budgets being challenged by an estimated £3bn per year between now and 2020.
 
 
 
The new council tax precept for social care will raise £380 million this year, whilst the estimated cost to councils of fully meeting the National Living Wage is £612 million.
 
 
 
 
To conclude
The funding gap and the challenge of the workforce are two of the most important issues for the sector to consider but neither issue is exclusive of the other! Despite these challenges, we must consider the opportunities a growing market will present. As the need to care for more people with complex health and social care needs grows we must ensure that we start to look at creating confidence in a sector that has faced substantial criticism over the past decade. 
 
Providers have met the challenges of innovating, developing and meeting the needs of individuals once cared for by our National Health Service. Ipso facto, the social care sector is now the National Care Service and should be recognised as such. We, the providers, now do everything that was originally remitted to the Health Service.
 
It’s vital to acknowledge that the need for social care is going to increase not decrease. With this in mind we must ensure that we:

• Support a positive image of social care and work together to eradicate poor care in any setting, be it health or social care.
• Recognise the professionalisation of the social care workforce and providers.
• Create sustainable pathways to an integrated model of care that supports individuals whose needs have been assessed.
• Use excellence as the model we subscribe to but enable people to achieve it within a model with is achievable and sustainable in the best interest of the people we care for.