Cambridgeshire County Council has today (Wednesday 5 October) joined councils across the country urging government to properly fund adult social care and its reforms.
The County Councils Network (CCN), which represents Cambridgeshire and 36 councils in county areas, has warned that drastically underfunded services face a “perfect storm” of staffing shortages this winter, less availability of care beds and higher costs at a time when demand is increasing.
Their warning comes as new analysis from CCN reveals that councils in England are set to face £3.7bn in additional costs in 2023 compared to 2021 to keep care services even at current levels, due to rising inflation, wage increases and demand.
At today’s Adults and Health Committee ( 5 October), Cllr Richard Howitt, Chair of the Adults and Health Committee, put forward an amendment calling for a further national investment in services, including an additional £6bn to tackle current pressures and a further £7bn to local authorities to enable councils to deliver the statutory care and support they are required to do so.
The committee voted 11 in favour of the amendment, with two voting against with no abstentions.
Cllr Howitt said: We fully endorse the County Councils Network statement that the Government has not ‘fixed’ adult social care as claimed but instead has left adult social care drastically underfunded. Rather than fixing these vital services, we now face months where services will be under severe strain, leading to longer waiting lists and endangering the quality and accessibility of care services. There is a different path for government to take to fund these services in the right way and we also ask them to delay the implementation of the reforms by six months.
“Our staff, commissioned care providers and partners will continue to work hard to make sure people receive the care they need. We will also continue to work with other councils to make sure people across the country and in our county get the services they deserve.”
Cambridgeshire County Cllr Susan van de Ven, Vice Chair of the Adults and Health Committee, added: “We face a perfect storm over the coming months. Staffing shortages, fewer care beds and higher costs will impact on people waiting for care and discharges from hospital, as well as create a knock-on effect on so many other health and care services already under intense pressure. Government really needs to listen and fund these services properly. Not doing so will acutely affect those hardworking people who work tirelessly to deliver these services, and all those who depend on them.”
To read the amendment at the Adults and Health Committee, view here – or to watch the full debate view here
To read the County Councils Network statement click here https://www.countycouncilsnetwork.org.uk/councils-call-on-prime-minister-to-deliver-on-her-promise-to-provide-more-funding-for-social-care/
To read the LGA Adult Social Care Position Statement, click here: https://www.local.gov.uk/about/campaigns/future-adult-social-care/adult-social-care-position-statement
