Trade body Care England has submitted written evidence to the Treasury’s comprehensive spending review emphasising the need for the government to act immediately in order to stabilise the sector or “face serious and far reaching consequences”.
Care England’s proposals include immediate investment and policy change to ensure the sustainability of the adult social care workforce in the winter months.
That includes the continuation of Covid testing and Adult Social Care Infection Control Fund, which expired on 30 September, beyond six months.
In addition, the largest representative body for independent providers of adult social care requested all care workers are added to the Shortage Occupation List and reducing the salary threshold in the Health and Care Visa.
Care England has also asked for clarity regarding the arrangements and funding regarding the government’s Build Back Better Plan for health and social care and the government to work with the sector to understand the practicalities.
In the longer term, Care England urged a National Living Wage uplift to be fully funded within the context of the publicly-funded adult social care sector.
It also wants clarity regarding the arrangements and funding regarding the Government’s Build Back Better Plan for health and social care and the government to work with the sector to understand the practicalities.
Sufficient support and funding for sector bodies such as Skills for Care is also required, it said. This disparity is currently evident in terms of the funding levels between Health Education England and Skills for Care, it said.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is due to deliver the spending review on 27 October alongside the autumn budget.
“We have used Care England’s submission as yet another mechanism to drive home to government the precarious state of the adult social care sector with particular reference to the workforce and funding crises,” said chief executive Martin Green.
“Failure to support the sector will result in unprecedented demand on the NHS, a loss to local economies and of course a failure to deliver care to those most in need. We hope that our submission will be considered,” he added.
