English Community Care Association and National Care Association announce merger

The UK’s two largest social care provider representative bodies have today revealed plans to merge and form a “powerful” new organisation called Care England.

The English Community Care Association (ECCA) and the National Care Association (NCA) will begin working together from 1st January next year.

Care England will work with care groups at both local and national levels in order to provide a stronger voice for the sector.

Professor Martin Green and Sheila Scott, chief executives of ECCA and NCA, issued a joint statement about the merger. They said: “We welcome the opportunity to bring the wealth of experience of these two organisations under one banner, and to work together to make Care England strong and vibrant as well as a one-stop-shop for providers, to support them in delivering a quality service. Additionally, for the first time, we will be able to demonstrate the strength of the united purpose which has brought us together and both of us welcome the opportunity to work with as many providers as possible to deliver a representative body which will be a powerful influence in health and social care throughout the 21st Century.”

The decision to merge the two organisations to create Care England has been welcomed and commended by the National Skills Academy for Social care. Debbie Sorkin, chief executive, said: “This is an example of the sector taking leadership into its own hands. We already work closely with ECCA and the NCA, with Martin Green and Sheila Scott both sitting in the Skills Academy Board. I have seen at first hand the leadership that they have provided for large and small care providers across the independent sector.

“This move will enable both organisations to have an even greater impact on social care policy and practice, and the Skills Academy looks forward to working with the new merged organisation, Care England, to support employers providing high quality services in social care.

“We also look forward to working with members of Care England to strengthen leadership at every level of the social care workforce.”

Mario Kreft, chair of Care Forum Wales, has also welcomed the merger. He said: "It's a very positive development and brings together the two leading voices in England.

"Care England will provide a place to go for politicians and decision makers so they can work with the key people who represent the social care sector.

"A great deal of credit is due to the people who have ensured we have arrived at a position where we have the two most important organisations in England joining forces for the greater good."