Integration Lottery

Care England, the largest representative body for independent providers of adult social care, has commented on the Care Quality Commission’s State of Care Report published this morning.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England says:

“CQC’s report makes it clear that there is no room for complacency. It recognises that tipping point has been reached for some people who are not getting the care that they need; however the fortunes for next year are ominous”.

Care England’s analysis has identified that over a third of councils (56 in total) will lose access to £739 million ring fenced funding for adult social care due to exhausting their social care precept flexibility and the ending of the adult social care support grant. This comes at a time of great uncertainty and perpetrates the post code lottery being experienced by vulnerable people across the country. CQC’s report can be found at https://www.cqc.org.uk/publications/major-report/state-care

Martin Green continues:

“If health and social care really are hand in glove as the Government purports it is important to offer the same opportunities in terms of recruitment, retention and training to all staff whether in health or social care. Otherwise we are in danger of an integration lottery and this is all the more concerning with the perpetual winter pressures impacting on the acute services and beyond”.