by Nirvana
Investment for Social Change
Opportunities for Problem Solving
Successive British Prime Ministers have promised to fix the crisis in social care. It has become a priority for the current Government that has promised to secure a 'Social Care Plan' that truly improves the failing system. Many people in the UK feel that problems in social care are easy to ignore because it is not needed by the 'better off' in society. However, there are many poor people who are in desperate need of social care. Many people expect social care to be provided by the NHS and do not make any other plans for future social care provision.
Day-to-day tasks that many of us take for granted like getting dressed, using the toilet, making a meal, or getting to the shops can be almost impossible for many older people without help. It is important to ensure they can access the care that will help them stay safe, enjoy life and prevent even more strain on a system that is on the edge of collapse.
A recent report has revealed: "People are being left high and dry by a broken system that has left swathes of England without a single care home bed." It went on to say: "Many local authorities are unable to provide any accommodation for the elderly or the handicapped and almost 30% of areas have become 'care deserts' due to an exodus of staff and providers pulling out due to funding cuts."
A report for Age UK found that in 2,244 of 7,578 postcode areas in England, there were no care home places even for those with the money to pay and it found two-thirds of areas had no free nursing home beds. The social care system in England is at 'crisis point', with more people needing care but fewer receiving it.
According to a study by the influential King's Fund think tank, there had been a 2 per cent rise in new requests for adult social care since 2015/16, resulting in 1.84 million requests in 2017/18. The study found that fewer people are receiving care, with almost 13,000 fewer granted help over the same period. Local council spending on social care has dropped in real terms and is now £700 million below the level in 2010/11. The study found it is not just older people who are requesting help, with a rise in the number of adults of working age seeking support as levels of disability rise.
However, the number of nursing and residential care beds available for people aged over 75 has fallen from 11.3 per 1,000 to 10.1 since 2012. According to the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, gross expenditure on social care in 2018-19 was £21.4bn, up from £20.8bn the year before.