Social care on its knees and government must act on funding and staff this year, MPs warn
RSN is planning a call for evidence on the issues set out in this article if you have views about what needs to be done in rural settings to make Adult Social Care both fair and sustainable we’d be very keen to hear from you….
The government must announce and implement a credible solution to address the long-term underfunding of adult social care by the end of 2018, MPs have said.
A green paper from the Department of Health and Social Care, expected in summer, also risks underestimating the challenges in resolving the crisis, particularly in retaining underpaid, poorly motivated staff after Brexit.
In a report released today, the Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) found little evidence that the existing, lightly regulated private care market is helping to deliver care in an affordable manner.
The PAC found worrying evidence that care is being prioritised to people needing the most support and care packages for people with moderate needs, such as an older person at risk of falls or becoming malnourished, is taking longer.
This could become more costly in the long run if patients are hospitalised and need a hip operation from a bad fall, or develop more serious infections or disease because they’re not looking after their health.
Age UK has warned that 1.2 million older people in the UK have unmet social care needs.