Harrogate care boss is "dismayed" by Government's lack of urgency over crisis in social care sector

Mike Padgham, chair of the Harrogate-based Independent Care Group, said he welcomed Health Secretary Wes Streeting announcement of an extra £86 million to support people with disabilities to continue living independently at home through the Disabled Facilities Grant.

But the launch of an independent commission into adult social care which will not deliver its full recommendations to the Government until 2028 was a missed opportunity to deliver the urgent action needed in a social care system which Mr Padgham described as “on its knees”.

“I can see why the Government would want cross-party consensus on this, but my fear is that it might just add further delays, which I suspect is what has happened in the past,” said Mike Padgham, who is managing director of St Cecilia’s Care Group which runs five residential and nursing homes in North Yorkshire.

“My concern over this measure, is that if it isn’t supported by more funding to social care, it will heap further pressure on staff in a sector that is already straining under the pressure and working with 131,000 staff vacancies.

“After 30 years of neglect, social care sector is on its knees.

"The sector has had enough of reports, we need to see urgent action.

“We know what needs to be done and we want to see the Government be bold and get on with it."

This week’s announcement by Health Secretary Wes Streeting also included plans to train social care workers to carry out more health checks and procedures to relieve pressure on the NHS.

And there were measures aimed at improving access to new technology.

But the scale of the challenges facing Britain’s social care sector was laid bare by a recent survey of providers by the Care Provider Alliance.

It found that 22% were planning to close their business; 73% were having to refuse new referrals from local authorities or the NHS; 57% planned to hand back some contracts and 64% feared having to make staff redundant.

Mr Padgham said the cost of living crisis combined with measures in the Budget last October had made the situation more urgent than ever.

“The rise in Employer’s National Insurance Contributions and increases in the National Living and Minimum wages will create real hardship for care providers, so we need action now to save the sector from decimation and a loss of provision,” he warned.

As well as insufficient funding, Mr Padgham is also concerned that the Government’s timetable for reform is simply too long.

“We have to wait until mid-2026 before first stage reporting from the commission and then no doubt it will take time to implement the reforms.

“Then the second phase reports in 2028, again a long way down the road and perilously close to another General Election.

"If the Government doesn’t get a second term, what happens to the recommendations?

“We need to see a true National Care Service, with health and social care merged, better pay and conditions for social care staff – on a par with their NHS counterparts - and an immediate injection of cash into social care, with £2 billion widely regarded as the minimum needed.”