Saturday 16 Jun 2012 @ 13:05
Think Tanks
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TKF: New survey highlights impending crisis in social care
Responding to this year’s survey of adult social care budgets, Richard Humphries, Senior Fellow at The King’s Fund said:
‘This survey once again highlights the growing pressure on social care services. With further local government budget cuts to follow, it is not alarmist to warn of an impending crisis in social care and of the risk that this will undermine the performance of the NHS.
‘Our own work shows how pressures on social care services are feeding through into high levels of hospital bed occupancy, contributing to an eight-year high in the proportion of patients spending more than four hours in A&E.
‘It is significant that nearly half the money allocated from the NHS budget to improve joint working between health and social care is being spent on propping up existing services and mitigating the impact of budget cuts. Using NHS funding as a sticking plaster does not address the pressures facing social care.
‘This survey reinforces the need to move much more quickly to achieve closer integration between health and social care and deliver a long-term funding settlement for social care based on the proposals set out by the Dilnot Commission.
‘If ministers do not keep their promise to produce a blueprint for action this side of the summer recess, they will be failing the current and future generations of older and disabled people and storing up problems for the NHS.’
‘This survey once again highlights the growing pressure on social care services. With further local government budget cuts to follow, it is not alarmist to warn of an impending crisis in social care and of the risk that this will undermine the performance of the NHS.
‘Our own work shows how pressures on social care services are feeding through into high levels of hospital bed occupancy, contributing to an eight-year high in the proportion of patients spending more than four hours in A&E.
‘It is significant that nearly half the money allocated from the NHS budget to improve joint working between health and social care is being spent on propping up existing services and mitigating the impact of budget cuts. Using NHS funding as a sticking plaster does not address the pressures facing social care.
‘This survey reinforces the need to move much more quickly to achieve closer integration between health and social care and deliver a long-term funding settlement for social care based on the proposals set out by the Dilnot Commission.
‘If ministers do not keep their promise to produce a blueprint for action this side of the summer recess, they will be failing the current and future generations of older and disabled people and storing up problems for the NHS.’
Notes to editors
For further information, please contact The King’s Fund’s Press and Public Affairs team on 020 7307 2585 (if calling out of hours, please ring 07584 146035).
The 2012 budget survey was published on Thursday 12 June by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services survey (ADASS).
The King’s Fund is a charity that seeks to understand how the health system in England can be improved. Using that insight, we help shape policy, transform services and bring about behaviour change. Our work includes research, analysis, leadership development and service improvement. We also offer a wide range of resources to help everyone working in health to share knowledge, learning and ideas.
The 2012 budget survey was published on Thursday 12 June by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services survey (ADASS).
The King’s Fund is a charity that seeks to understand how the health system in England can be improved. Using that insight, we help shape policy, transform services and bring about behaviour change. Our work includes research, analysis, leadership development and service improvement. We also offer a wide range of resources to help everyone working in health to share knowledge, learning and ideas.
