Health secretary Matt Hancock asks MPs for cross-party talks on social care

MPs and peers have been asked to come up with ideas for a cross-party consensus on social care reform, in a letter from the Health and Social Care Secretary but Labour says the talks will be ’’no help to a system in crisis”.

Health secretary Matt Hancock has invited all MPs to give their views on how to secure a long-term sustainable solution for social care and plans to start ‘structured talks’ in May.

In his letter, Mr Hancock stated: “We know that there are colleagues from all sides of both houses who are keen to work together to address the issues in the current system and find a solution for once and for all.

“We want to hear your views, your proposed solutions and your concerns about reforming the way that people pay for their care as part of the cross-party talks.”

But he warned: “Any solution needs to consider the financial impact on taxpayers…the competing demands on taxpayers’ money from other public services and how to fund reform on a sustainable basis.”

Barbara Keeley: Talks are ‘no help to a system in crisis’

In response, Labour’s shadow mental health and social care minister Barbara Keeley said: “The Prime Minister promised voters that he had a plan to fix the social care crisis but now all we see is an open-ended invitation for comments.

“As we have repeatedly said, cross-party talks can only be effective when the government comes forward with their proposals for reform. It’s clear that it doesn’t have a plan to fix the crisis in social care.

“Labour has offered to engage in meaningful cross-party talks and we would be happy to do so, but the process outlined by Matt Hancock is another consultation that provides no help to a system in crisis.”

Hancock says COVID-19 bill will maximise number of care volunteers

Some three million individuals volunteer in health, community health and social care settings.

On 9 March, Mr Hancock announced (under proposals expected to be included in an COVID-19 Emergency Bill), that volunteers – who already play a central role in health and social care 'will be given additional employment safeguards'.

These safeguards will enable them to 'leave their main jobs and temporarily volunteer in the event of a widespread pandemic'.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has stated: 'In the event of a pandemic, we want to be able to maximise the number of volunteers and the amount of time they can commit to supporting the health and social care system – without fear of them losing their jobs.

'Under these proposed measures, government will ensure the jobs of skilled, experienced or qualified volunteers are protected for up to four weeks to allow them to shore up resilience across the health and social care systems.'

The DHSC said leading business groups will be 'consulted thoroughly about how best to implement these changes.'

Silver Voices, a campaign group for those aged over 60, stated: 'Our health and social care services are in no fit state to cope with a possible coronavirus pandemic, after a decade of austerity which has stripped public services of any contingency capacity. And it will be older people who suffer most.'

Fund social care 'like we do for schools'

Responding to Mr Hancock's call for cross-party talks, Vic Rayner, executive director of the National Care Forum said: “We welcome the announcement by the Secretary of State that invites members from across the House to attend cross-party talks. It is an important first step in moving forward the reform agenda for adult social care."

But Vic Rayner stressed the need for the government "to ensure that it focuses on the needs of both working age and older adults".

She urged the government "to determine a social care system that addresses both the current shortfall, and presents a clear and coherent narrative to develop a system that will address future care needs for generations to come."

Sally Copley, director of policy and campaigns at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “These talks must focus on the need to properly fund social care like we do for schools and other public services, and to ensure the extra costs of specialist dementia care are covered.

“Crucially we also need a timetable for when talks will end, and when the Government will set out their way forward.

“The Government must match its commitment to cross-party talks with immediate £8bn investment in social care in the Budget on Wednesday.”