The much-anticipated review of the UK’s social care system – which impacts on many families affected by brain and spinal conditions – will not report until 2028, the government has announced.
The government has set out plans to support people with disabilities to remain in their homes through the improvement of adult social care, taking pressure off the NHS and supporting the care workforce.
The plans will create a new national care service that will be tasked with delivering consistency of care, which will be underpinned by national standards.
According to the government, £86m will be provided for the Disabled Facilities Grant for 2025, and a further £86m will be provided next year. The funding aims to help 7,800 more disabled and elderly people to make improvements to their home to enable them to live independently and to reduce hospitalisations.
However, chief executive of health think-tank The King’s Fund, Sarah Woolnough, along with councils and care providers, have said this timescale is too long, urging the government to look at measures that could be implemented sooner, the BBC reports.
According to the BBC, Streeting has defended the timescale, saying that the government is already acting.
Health and social care secretary, Wes Streeting, said: “In the first six months of this government, work has already begun on stabilising the care sector, investing in prevention, and in carers and care workers. The investment and reforms we’re announcing today will help to modernise social care, get it working more closely with the NHS, and help deliver our plan for change.
“But our ageing society, with costs of care set to double in the next 20 years, demands longer term action.
“The independent commission will work to build a national consensus around a new national care service able to meet the needs of older and disabled people into the 21st century.
“I have written to opposition parties to invite them to take part in the commission’ work, and asked Baroness Louise Casey to build a cross-party consensus, to ensure the national care service survives governments of different shades, just as our NHS has for the past 76 years.
“We are appointing one of our country’s leading public service reformers, and Whitehall’s greatest do-er, to finally grasp the nettle on social care reform.”
