10 years on: LGA survey exposes ineffectiveness of the Care Act
It’s been a decade since the government introduced legislation designed to improve access to vital care, yet a new survey shows very little improvements have been made.
The research, which was made public yesterday, shows a mere two third of councils are confident of being able to meet all their legal duties under the Care Act by 2025/26, despite the legislation coming into effect in 2015. When the Act passed Royal Assent, duties were placed on councils, including the need to focus on people’s wellbeing, however, it coincided with a rise in people needing care services – especially when the pandemic hit in 2020 – meaning authorities were realistically never going to be able to meet such goals.
Against this backdrop, it is somewhat surprising that even a small number of local authorities are able to meet legal requirements, as the result also revealed eight in 10 councils forecast having to axe spending on other community services such as libraires, parks and leisure to try and protect care services.
Following these unsettling findings, the Local Government Association (LGA) – the organisation that conducted the survey – are calling on the government to immediately invest in adult social care and create a long-term care workforce plan.
Ahead of the next General Election, which is expected to occur at the end of this year or the beginning of 2025, the LGA said all parties need to end the politicisation of care and prioritise national interests.
Cllr David Fothergill, social care spokesperson for the LGA, has expressed his disappointment about the survey results and said we simply need to be doing more.
‘The Care Act was a beacon of hope for those needing care and support but this hope has faded. A decade on, people are still facing long waiting times for assessments and support, and not getting the full care and support they need,’ Cllr Fothergill said. ‘We are at a critical point, for people who draw on care, councils and the sector. Councils are doing all they can to ensure they meet their duties under the Care Act – including cutting spending on other neighbourhood services – but many still fear they will not be able to over the coming years.’
Cllr Fothergill added: ‘This simply isn’t good enough. It isn’t good enough for people who draw on care and support and it isn’t good enough for the care workers who work incredibly hard for very little financial reward.
‘Adult social care needs urgent attention. This must be top of the in-tray for any incoming government.’
Image: Vladimir Soares
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