The National Care Forum (NCF) – the leading association for not-for-profit social care has responded to the announcement today of an acceleration of the reporting timelines of the Casey Commission, the launch of The Big Conversation on Care and the Prime Minister’s commitment to supporting the care workforce through better pay and career progression opportunities.
Vic Rayner OBE, CEO of NCF said: “A momentous day for social care! Less than two weeks into his premiership, Andy Burnham stood up to speak up for social care at a launch event at Jewish Care, an NCF member and not-for-profit provider. He spoke with passion and candour about his commitment to creating the change that he has long campaigned for, and that is fundamental to communities and people up and down the country. We welcome the ambition he set out, including speeding up Baroness Casey’s independent commission and the commencement of cross-party talks to establish a commitment to the future of adult social care that transcends party politics. He recognised the broken cycle of research, review, repeat of the last thirty years and promised action. The big conversation that has started today will be a key element of the drive to build engagement and consensus amongst the public.
“It was enormously important to hear Baroness Casey challenge profiteering within the care system, where she could not have been clearer on the Today programme this morning saying: ‘I don’t like the idea of profiteering out of human misery and human life. I object to that.’ Andy Burnham also highlighted that the current situation is unacceptable, pointing to profiteering and unnecessary and dangerous cost cutting.
“Social care is a vital public service, paid for by citizens and the public purse. Recognising, strengthening and growing not-for-profit care and support must be central to the development of a National Care Service. Not-for-profit providers are embedded in communities and deliver support that is rooted in local relationships, accountability and social purpose.
“It felt like a seminal moment to hear the Prime Minister’s positive and deeply personal contribution to today’s discussion. Too often social care is spoken about only through the lens of crisis and challenge. The PM rightly highlighted our fantastic workforce, including the incredible support provided by international colleagues. Bringing together the work on the Fair Pay Agreement and the skills agenda, he went further in his ambition to build an integrated workforce aligning health and care.
“To this end, we believe a future National Care Service requires:
- Not-for-profit care and support to be at its heart
- Investment in our exceptional social care workforce to ensure those working in care and support are properly valued
- Adoption of new technology and innovation – ensuring care for the future is both smarter and greener
- A care system which embeds rights, fairness and choice for people
“Social care is central to each and every community up and down the country, and we need to see a sustainable future that everyone can rely on. Social care matters to us all. Let the Big Conversation on Care begin!
“NCF and our not-for-profit members stand ready to work with Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper, Angela Rayner, Baroness Casey and the government to help make a National Care Service, with not-for-profit care at its heart, a reality.”
