A new report, ‘A red flag for the future of social care’, has suggested the financial pressures crippling the social care sector could start to directly impact the vulnerable adults it supports.
The independent research, commissioned by Hft, a national charity who support adults with learning disabilities, found that last year alone 59% of providers had been forced to close down some parts of their organisation or hand back contracts to local authorities as a means of dealing with cost pressures.
It was also found 68% saw themselves have to do the same ‘in the near future’ while 11% foresaw a reduction in the quality of care if their financial situation did not improve – which suggests vulnerable adults supported by the sector may soon start to be directly affected by the funding pressures.
The research also found recruitment remains difficult with 80% of providers reporting low wages is the biggest barrier to recruitment and retaining staff.
Billy Davis, Public Affairs and Policy Manager for Hft, said: “This year’s sector pulse check is a red flag fore the future of social care. With repeated calls for a sustainable funding solution going unheeded, we are now seeking the true cost of government inaction on providers.
“More than half of providers have reported needing to hand back financially unsustainable contracts in the past year. This is culturally at odds with how many providers in the sector operate, particularly with individuals who may have been supported by a providers for much of their adult lives.
“68% of provided are also warning that they will need to hand back further contracts in the near future. It is deeply worrying, if not surprising that our report concludes that, for the first time, providers are warning that it will not be long before these financial pressures may soon start to be felt by those vulnerable adults support by the sector, as disruptions to the continuity of care they receive becomes more commonplace.”
Hft is now calling for the Department for Health and Social Care to publish its long overdue social care green paper as a matter of urgency and not allow this critical issue to be placed aside during the Brexit debate.
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Blackpool City Council
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Bushell House
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Professor Martin Green, Chief Executive of Care England
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LCA has had a long association with RDB Star Rating and continues to promote its benefits to providers. Quality in care is not something owned by public and quasi-public bodies with an inspection/quality monitoring role to be imposed externally. It is something which is at the heart of a provider’s commitment to delivering quality care and support throughout the organisation. It gives a provider ownership of their quality processes. RDB Star Rating is an excellent means for a provider to make their commitment to quality visible and measurable
Paul Simic, Lancashire Care Association
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Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council
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We have taken part in the RDB assessments for the last few years and now it has become an integral part of our annual quality assurance cycle. The company, residents and their families are given the re-assurance that we are providing and delivering ‘quality’ care and services, which have been assessed by an independently accredited third party
Rough Lee Care Home
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Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council
