“Any future reforms of adult social care must apply the lessons learned from coronavirus, as well as address the issues of fairness in how we pay for these vital services. These include people who fund their own care."
Responding to the 2019/20 annual review of social care complaints by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:
“Councils and the care providers they commission have been working hard, especially during the pandemic, to support those who use and work in adult social care.
“This is despite continued funding and demand pressures, which existed prior to the coronavirus outbreak. It is good that providers continue to work with the Ombudsman in its investigations, to make improvements to their services.
“Any future reforms of adult social care must apply the lessons learned from coronavirus, as well as address the issues of fairness in how we pay for these vital services. These include people who fund their own care.
“Social care needs parity of esteem with the NHS, backed up by a genuine, long-term and sustainable funding settlement, which councils have been calling for long before the current crisis.
“Cross-party talks on the future of adult social care must start as soon as possible.”
Notes
The number of complaints and enquiries received by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman in 2019/20 was 3,073, almost the same as in 2018/19 when 3,070 were received.