Care England calls for ‘meaningful co-production’ over reform

Professor Martin Green, Care England chief executive

Care England is urging the government to involve providers in its ‘build back better’ plans for health and social care reform.

It has set out ten key asks that include establishing a fair rate for care, ensuring a sustainable workforce, and more detail relating to the £86,000 cap on care costs. The ten areas are aimed at highlighting concerns the sector has in relation to the government’s Build Back Better: Our Plan for Health and Social Care document, as well as presenting solutions.

Quoting LaingBuisson data, the representative body said establishing a fair cost of care would give taxpayers value for money and empower those in need of support, and their families. It said the white paper, which is due to be published before the end of the year, must look to tackle innovation and investment, unmet need and digital transformation within the sector, which seem to have been overlooked.

Professor Martin Green, Care England chief executive, said the sector was concerned the £5.4bn announced in September for adult social care over the next three years through the health and social care levy, as well as the £4.8bn of new grant funding over the spending review period, will not be enough to achieve government ambitions.

‘We hope that our key asks will represent an opportunity for meaningful co-production, all of which must be underpinned by adequate funding for the proposals, wider support for the workforce and parity with the NHS on national insurance that only national government can address,’ he said.