Providers welcome Labour Party proposal to create National Care Service

Care providers today welcomed Labour Party proposals to create a National Care Service.

The plan was revealed by Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who proposed a care service provision that is similar to the NHS, in an interview with the Guardian.

Mr Streeting told the Guardian that he has asked the Fabian Society to look at how the service would be funded and structured, with a view to bringing it in over the course of several parliaments.

Care provider organisation, The Independent Care Group (ICG) welcomed the plan.

ICG Chair Mike Padgham said: ‘A National Care Service is something we have campaigned for now for some 20 years or more as it would set social care provision on a par with NHS care and create cradle to the grave care in this country.

‘I agree that any such service must place the status and recognition of the social care workforce at its heart. There must also be room of public, private and charitable provision through small and larger providers, to ensure choice.

‘At the end of the day this is an opposition party proposal and dependent upon the Labour Party gaining power for its fruition. But it is good to have the idea become part of the conversation around care, even if it is short on detailed proposals at this stage.’

He added: ‘We cannot continue as we are, with 1.5m people living without the care they need and care providers closing on a daily basis. Something has to change, root and branch reform must come and we welcome this proposal into the debate.’

However, in the short term, the ICG wants to see social care’s share of the Health and Social Care Levy fast-tracked to help with staff recruitment, improving staff pay and social care delivery.

It also wants to see:

• A root and branch overhaul of the way social care is planned and funded
• NHS care and social care merged and managed locally or nationally
• Extra funding for social care, funded by taxation
• Dementia treated and funded like other high priority illnesses
• A fixed percentage of GDP to be spent on social care
• Proper pay, conditions and career structure for carers
• Social care businesses to be zero-rated for VAT.

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