The new assurance process for council adult social care services
is time and energy intensive, interviews with the pilot councils
show.
The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents councils
in England and Wales is calling for a guarantee of adequate new
burdens funding for the process, as well as sufficient advance
notice of the assessments for councils.
With five pilots completed, the Care Quality Commission regulator
will begin a new assessment regime which will see councils handed
an overall rating of either ‘inadequate’, ‘requires improvement’,
‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ as part of a new system of adult social
care assurance introduced by the Government. Following interviews
with those pilot councils, it is evident that a significant
amount of work is required to prepare and execute these
assessments.
Adult social care has faced over a decade of underfunding and
unmet and under-met need has grown as a consequence. With no
extra money announced for adult social care in the Autumn
Statement councils will struggle to keep up with demography, pay
and inflationary pressures. There is also concern that the
implications of underfunding councils may not be taken into
account in the ratings given.
The LGA says that the Government should guarantee of adequate new
burdens funding for the process including committing to reviewing
and increasing the funding if necessary. The learning from the
pilots must be carried through into full rollout.
Additionally, councils in the first tranche of assessments need
to be notified as soon as possible given the significant amount
of preparatory work required in advance of assessment team
on-site visit
Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing
Board said: “While councils are very willing to participate in
this process, the current precarious position of adult social
care must be recognised.
“Despite unmet and under met need remaining concerningly high,
councils received no additional funding for adult social care in
the Autumn Statement.
“The added workload these assessments are causing for councils
must be addressed and councils should be given appropriate
additional funding and support in order to participate in them
effectively.”
Cathie Williams, Chief Executive of the Association of Directors
of Adult Social Services said: “The pilots have shown the
assurance process takes up a huge amount of time and energy
within local authorities, at a time when social care teams are
already under pressure with growing numbers of people needing
care and support, budgets under severe strain and high levels of
vacancies. To ensure assurance doesn’t take away from
support going to people who need social care, the Government must
provide local authorities with additional funding and resource to
carry this out.
“We’re also keen to work with the Department of Health and Social
Care on what support will be available for councils following
assessments, as that will be vital in maximising the impact of
this new assessment programme."
Ends
Notes to editors
The Local Government Association and Association of Directors of
Adult Social Services are Partners in Care and Health (PCH),
working with other well-respected organisations.
PCH helps councils to improve the way they deliver adult social
care and public health services and helps Government understand
the challenges faced by the sector.
