Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urged to mend 'broken' social care system

Britain’s new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is being urged to sort out “a broken social care system”, allocate more of the £13bn committed to tackling the NHS backlog to help councils “reduce pressure on social care” and not "roll back" on Boris Johnson’s pledge to introduce a cap on care costs in 2023.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the Conservative MP for Richmond (Yorks) took up the highest office in Britain on 25 October and told the country on his first day in the job: "Our country is facing a profound economic crisis. The aftermath of Covid still lingers.”

In response, social care leaders are urging Mr Sunak to sort out a “broken” social care system by investing in it and tackling workforce shortages in the care sector.

“We have a broken social care system, which all too often leaves people affected by dementia facing inadequate care, catastrophic costs and impossible choices. Urgent reform is needed, with a clear timeline for its delivery - in particular, when the care cap will be implemented” said Fiona Carragher, director of research and influencing at Alzheimer’s Society. “We welcomed the government’s vision last year to ensure everyone with dementia can get high-quality personalised care. But with reports that government may roll back on its flagship pledge to introduce a cap on care costs in 2023, we at Alzheimer’s Society are deeply worried that the commitment to realising that vision has waned.”

Steve Barclay returns as Health and Social Care Secretary

As part of Mr Sunak’s cabinet reshuffle, Steve Barclay has returned as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. He replaces Therese Coffey who has moved to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Just under seven weeks after losing the top health job as a result of Liz Truss's administration, Steve Barclay has returned to the post. He was first appointed as health secretary by Boris Johnson’s government after Sajid Javid quit.

Ms Carragher said: “Steve Barclay has an urgent responsibility to deliver on the government’s existing commitments to the 900,000 people in the UK living with dementia.

“In Steve Barclay’s own words, ‘anyone who lives with dementia, or has a loved one affected, knows the devastating impact this condition can have on their daily lives, but for too long our understanding of its causes has not been fully understood’.“

No mention of social care in PM's first speech

In his first speech as Prime Minister outside 10 Downing Street, Mr Sunak did not mention social care.

Rishi Sunak told the country: "I will place economic stability and confidence at the heart of this government's agenda. This will mean difficult decisions to come. I want to pay tribute to my predecessor Liz Truss. But some mistakes were made.”

Dementia is the biggest killer in the UK. The Alzheimer’s Society wants to know “when and how” Boris Johnson’s pledge to double dementia research funding by 2024, will be delivered.

Ms Carragher added: “The government must act to ensure that dementia is a priority - a call backed by more than 26,000 people who have signed an open letter from Alzheimer’s Society to the new Prime Minister calling for those affected by dementia to receive the care they deserve.”

Care leaders like Care England, which represents care home operators, have expressed concern about social care challenges across the country, in particular staff shortages in the care sector.

The association recently told the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee that the number of vacant posts had soared by 55,000, up to 165,000 vacancies, between July 2021 and July 2022.

Martin Green, the chief executive of Care England, has said the Care Quality Commission’s recently published annual report was the “latest in a long line of publications which present the need for immediate government action to help tackle the ongoing workforce pressures”.

CCN leader: Don't let spending cuts 'fall on local government'

Cllr Tim Oliver, chairman of the County Councils Network (CCN), which makes up 23 county councils and 13 unitary councils representing 25 million residents, has called on Mr Sunak to delay forthcoming charging reforms to adult social care services.

The CCN is also urging the Prime Minister to “rebalance funding between health and social care” by allocating more of the £13bn committed to tackling the NHS backlog towards councils “to help reduce pressure on social care services and the wider health system.”

Mr Oliver said: “I would like to congratulate Rishi Sunak on becoming Prime Minister. The CCN has been clear about the acute financial challenges facing local authorities at present, driven by soaring inflation and increases in demand for services.

“One of the first decisions the Prime Minister and his new Chancellor should make is to delay the forthcoming charging reforms to adult social care services.

“By delaying the reforms but retaining and reinvesting funding earmarked for these proposals in local government, it would help ease the inflationary and workforce pressures facing social care authorities.”

The Prime Minister has postponed Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s fiscal statement, scheduled for Monday 31 October, until 17 November.