Adult Social Sare Reform

Dear constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about adult social care reform. I share your concerns that, for too long, social care has lacked the priority and attention it deserves. I agree that long-term reform is essential.

The outbreak of coronavirus and its spread throughout the country has demonstrated beyond all doubt just how important social care is. I pay tribute to the extraordinary efforts of care workers, as well as NHS staff
and key workers, who have gone the extra mile to care for older and vulnerable people. They deserve our respect, admiration and full support.

I believe mistakes were made at the beginning of this pandemic and the Government was too slow to act to protect older and disabled people. A report by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee finds that
care staff were left without protective equipment, thousands of older people were discharged from hospitals to care homes without tests, and Ministers did not ensure that social care was given the focus it needed.

I am concerned that our social care sector has been underfunded for too long and it was ill-prepared to deal with a public health emergency like coronavirus. The Association of Directors of Adult Social
Services (ADASS) estimates that, following a decade of cuts to local government, more than £8 billion has been lost from adult social care budgets since 2010 and too many people have been left to cope without the support they need.

A report commissioned by the Local Government Association and ADASS found that adult social care providers and councils face up to £6.6 billion in extra costs as a result of the coronavirus emergency. I will press the Government to ensure that social care providers are compensated for the additional costs caused by COVID-19.

Beyond the pandemic, long-term reform of the social care system is urgently needed. I believe this is vital to increase access to care, to help the 1.5 million people currently going without the support they need, and to protect people from high care costs. I also believe Ministers should address the widespread vacancies across social care, invest in the workforce and support unpaid carers.

Thank you once again for contacting me about this important issue.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Dowd MP