Responding to the National Audit Office report on the adult
social care market in England, Nuffield Trust Deputy Director of
Policy Natasha Curry said:
“The report by the National Audit Office exposes the fundamental
flaws and fragility of the social care provider market in
England. Organisations providing adult social care were
struggling long before the pandemic took hold with years of delay
to any meaningful reform of the sector storing up the problems
exacerbated by the pressure of Covid-19.
“Years of real-terms cuts to local authority budgets has seen the
market eroded with effects being felt by people in our society
who depend on care and support. Organisations providing care are
too often paid at or below cost for council-funded clients, with
the result that they either turn down council contracts,
collapse, or charge people paying for their own care higher fees.
The impact of this unstable system inevitably falls on care
workers and the people receiving care, many of whom struggle to
access the essential and high quality services they deserve.
“But the question of reform can no longer just focus on financing
the sector, the provider market is not fit for purpose and needs
comprehensive reform. We need the sustainable solution promised
by the prime minister which moves us beyond the short-term
approach which has led to the lack of innovation and
accountability in the sector. The Nuffield Trust will be
publishing a comprehensive review of the key problems with the
market in the coming weeks ahead of making recommendations
drawing on international experience later this year.”
