Adult social care is not simply a set of services, it is about supporting people to live the lives they want to lead. When done well it can be transformative.
But following a decade of underfunding and just as the service started to emerge from the long shadow of COVID-19, the sector is facing a set of soaring inflationary pressures, and others associated with the rising cost of living, that threaten its ability to function at even the most rudimentary level.
Without immediate action and funding, pressure will continue to grow on the NHS as social care needs go unmet, and people will be unable to live the life they deserve.
The health service saved my life, but social care helps me live it.
Caroline Waugh, receives direct payments
The current picture of adult social care is one of gridlock.
Waiting times
Each number represents a person whose needs are not being met and also represents a risk that deterioration will lead to a need for NHS services.
waiting for an assessment, a review of their care or the start of a care package or direct payment.
Workforce
Not only is there a high vacancy rate, those working in the roles aren't recognised for their experience. Care workers with over five years of experience are paid just 7p per hour more than a care worker with less than one year's experience.
an increase of 52% since 2020/21.
if the number of adult social care posts grows proportionally to the projected number of 65+ in the population between 2021 and 2035.
Financial support to care workers
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of the UK’s residential care workers lived in, or were on the brink of, poverty.
The view from health
Social care pressures make it harder to tackle the backlog of cases needing to be dealt with by the NHS.
Healthcare leaders know how closely linked health and social care services are, they are sister services so when one suffers so does the other.
Dr Layla McCay, director of policy, NHS Confederation
said a lack of adequate social care capacity is having a significant impact on their ability to tackle the elective care backlog.