'We cannot wait until 2026 for reform to begin' - Scarborough campaigners react to social care support measures

Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced an extra £86m to support people with disabilities to continue living independently at home through the Disabled Facilities Grant.

He also announced 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.

At the same time, Mr Streeting announced that the Government will launch an independent commission into adult social care to be chaired by Baroness Louise Casey.

In two phases, the commission will first report back in 2026 and report its longer-term recommendations in 2028.

Mike Padgham, Chair of the social care provider organisation, The Independent Care Group (ICG), welcomed the measures, especially those that helped people remain independent in their own homes.

“We have argued for some time that social care staff should be able to undertake the kind of health checks and treatments that are highlighted today, as it makes sense for them to be done by staff who are working with people every day rather than waiting for a doctor or nurse to visit,” he said.

“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 and my biggest disappointment from the announcement is the timetable for major reform.

“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?

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

"We might not have all the perfect solutions at hand, but we can’t have utopia and we need to make a start.

"In the past 20 years we have had five health secretaries and 18 ministers and in that time, eight green papers, four white papers, two inquiries and numerous other reports.

“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.

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

"Social care providers have lots of knowledge and expertise and are ready to add our help in tackling the issues.

“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 £2bn widely regarded as the minimum needed, with some of that switched from the NHS.

“We cannot fix the NHS without fixing social care first and we cannot wait until 2026 and beyond for that reform to begin.”