The National Care Forum (NCF) - the leading association for not-for-profit social care has responded to the King’s Speech.
The speech set out the government’s legislative plans for the new parliament.
NCF CEO Vic Rayner OBE said: “There is some powerful legislation proposed within the King’s Speech that will support the development of the economic contribution of social care to communities and those working in care and support. We particularly welcome the Employment Rights Bill, alongside the draft Equality (Race and Disability) Bill, that will enhance the rights of care workers and protect them from exploitative practices.
“The promise of fair pay for care workers has been a consistent pledge from the Labour Party, and there is much to welcome in relation to focussing on ensuring that those delivering this vital public service are offered the recognition and recompense commensurate with their role. It will be vital that this fledgling legislation is followed up with a clear commitment to properly fund all increases in pay, for a longer-term focus on the broader package of support for the workforce, and to support the infrastructure needed to embed a new approach to pay negotiations that will support the over 1.5 million strong workforce and the establishment of a meaningful and rewarding career pathway.
“We also welcome the focus on investment in industry, skills and new tech, particularly the establishment of Skills England and the reform of the apprenticeship levy, as well as further devolved powers for local areas and combined authorities. The adult social care workforce should be at the centre of this given its size and economic potential, and the government must bring forward a workforce strategy for social care as part of this wider investment. The workforce strategy developed by Skills for Care, in collaboration with the social care, health and education sectors, is due for publication soon and sets out a series of actionable recommendations which we would urge the government to use as a springboard for its own plans.
“It is also encouraging to see modernisation of the Mental Health Act featured in the speech and specifically measures to ensure that people are not detained under the Mental Health Act solely due to a learning disability and/or autism.
“However, the King’s Speech was disappointingly devoid of any detail on how, and equally importantly, when wider reform of adult social care would come forward. The new government must act with urgency and purpose to begin the reform of the social care system now.
“We are keen to hear more solid plans and timescales around Labour’s development of a National Care Service as part of this reform and have made a direct approach to the new government to offer the combined support and expertise of the not-for-profit sector to help shape these ambitions.”
