With governments, both past and present, failing to deliver what the UK needs in terms of a social care that is fit for purpose, the focus must change. Social care needs to be brave and take control of their own destiny.
This was the discussion during my recent Redefining Care on Apple podcast with Anisa Byrne, Marketing Director, HSC, The Access Group.
To support the need of the UK, care businesses must be both profitable and resilient to survive. Additionally, taking steps to professionalise the care workforce to enhance public perception and value of care, is equally important. The priority therefore needs to be:
- To build resilience and create a sustainable business model.
- To collaborate and share best practice across the UK.
- To act to ensure care is seen as a profession, everyone working within it, knows it is.
Building Resilience
The fact is the cost of care is increasing and at the same time, many care providers are not being paid enough through local authority contracts to build profit within their business. Some care businesses being heavily reliant on these contracts. The UK needs viable care businesses to support the ever-increasing demand. We cannot afford to lose them. The business model of distributing care to care providers via local authority contracts does not work for many, which is why we need to look at other sectors. Financial services went through a similar transition with the Retail Distribution Review, as they too had to change their business model, so what can care business learn from that process e.g., implementing a change management process. Additionally, there are many home care providers that are part of a franchise group, again what can independent care businesses learn from that model e.g. How to attract private customers, understanding your finances, business strategy and planning.
Sharing Best Practice
Every day great, innovative work is being done by many care providers. The Institute of Health and Social Care Management, a forward-thinking membership organisation that is built “for our members, by our members” know many of the answers to the problems can be, and are, found through working collaboratively via their membership. They have a range of Special Interest Groups that cover topics from workforce development to greener care, with subject matter experts. These special interest groups are driving social care forward. The People Plan highlighted good/outstanding practices, with the aim that this can be replicated and built upon. Instead of waiting for change, taking steps to own the issues and solve the problems that are being faced now.
Professionalisation
Care work has for far too long been seen as low paid (which it often is) & low skilled (which it definitely isn’t). To meet the demand for care in the UK, then we need to build a world where care is seen as a profession that people aspire to work in, and be part. There have been calls by some professional bodies to have a mandatory carer register but as the UK government does not appear to have social care as a main focus, this is unlikely to happen in the near future. NACAS (National Association of Care and Support Workers) believes we cannot wait for governments to make this happen. They have taken it upon themselves to create the Voluntary Care Professional Register (VCPR). This is because it is the right thing to do.
By taking action to share best practice in terms of how we operate and build the much-needed resilience within social care; by professionalising care work through a mandatory care professional register to enhance the role of care work, would take social care great strides forward. Is social care brave enough to embrace this? You can find out more by listening to the podcast here.
#redefiningcare #socialcare #homecare #carehomes #innovationincare
Author: Sue Jones, Director of Social Care
“Elderly care: A guide for families new to caring”
– https://www.homeinstead.co.uk/care/guide/
