Brexit among contributing factors delaying social care's green paper

The Government has confirmed it is delaying the publication of a social care green paper until the New Year, a move that is in part due to Brexit challenges, despite millions of elderly, disabled and the sector crying out for a blueprint for care now.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Social Care told carehome.co.uk: “It’s going to be published at the earliest opportunity in the New Year”.

“A combination of factors” including a need to publish the green paper alongside the NHS’ 10-year plan which has been pushed back to the New Year because of Brexit, has led to the postponement of the green paper’s publication.

Brexit has had an impact resulting in the Government not going ahead to publish the paper this side of Christmas, the spokeswoman said. News of the delay, comes just days after Prime Minister Theresa May survived a confidence vote on her leadership, brought about by her Brexit deal.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has described the green paper as “very well advanced” and he wanted to “make sure it gets the attention it deserves”.

Care Minister Caroline Dinenage was not available for comment. The Department refused to give an exact date or month for when the green paper would be published in 2019.

On 3 December, the Department was asked by carehome.co.uk to confirm that the green paper would be published in 2018 as promised by Theresa May in Parliament last October, but the Department was unable to back the Prime Minister's words.

The green paper's publication has been repeatedly delayed and was previously expected last July. It is intended to cover the quality and safety of care services, greater security for those requiring care and a sustainable funding model for social care supported by a stable market.

Vic Raynor, chief executive of the National Care Forum, has blogged: 'Whilst the weary may well not view this announcement with great surprise, it remains, of course, of dire consequence for those on the receiving end and involved in the delivery of social care.

'It is absolutely clear this paper cannot come soon enough, and the expectations that hang on it should remain exceptionally high – because it is central to people’s lives.

'However, whilst we wait for the publication of the Green Paper ‘to get the amount of attention it deserves’ and for the government reform agenda to begin, there are matters of growing urgency in the communities that we serve.'