The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) is urging the new Government to invest more in more social care, support unpaid carers, and provide better healthcare in local communities to prevent avoidable hospital admissions.
The calls come after ADASS published its Spring Survey 2024 which is based on responses from Directors of Adult Social Services from 145 English councils.
It found that adult social care budgets in 2023/24 were overspent by £586 million, the highest levels for at least a decade. Directors are not confident their financial situation will improve, with nine in 10 saying they are unsure whether budgets will allow them to meet their statutory duties for 2024/25.
Complexity of need is also increasing meaning more people require intensive care and support, and while Directors want to invest more in early support and care closer to home, a lack of funding means only those with the most complex needs are able to access this support.
Furthermore, adult social care staff are being increasingly forced to undertake tasks that were previously delivered by NHS workers, without the necessary training, supervision or funding. ADASS say this is partly due to the underfunding of the NHS which is causing pressures to mount in social care services.
In more positive news, councils are continuing to invest in care closer to home, and they have increased the amount of homecare hours available and reduced reliance on residential care. Furthermore, there are now fewer people waiting for assessment, care and support to begin or for a review of their care plan than last year (an 11% reduction compared to 2023).
However, there are still more than 418,000 people with unmet care and support needs, and this lack of care and support has left unpaid carers to pick up the pieces. Indeed, 88% of Directors said that unpaid carers are coming forward with an increased level of need in their local area over the past 12 months.
Carers Trust’s CEO, Kirsty McHugh, said ADASS’ Spring Survey shows that pressures on social care and local government are pushing unpaid carers “to their limits”.
“The new Government’s ambition for a National Care Service is welcome, but action is needed right now to ease some of those pressures. Increased support for unpaid carers is a vital part of that, with 88% of directors reporting unpaid carers had an increased level of need in the past 12 months. The report echoes our research showing burnout as the number one reason why carers have faced breakdown in the past year,” she said.
The learning disability charity Mencap is now urging the government to provide immediate funding for the social care sector to ensure that people with learning disabilities can access the care and support they need.
Jackie O’Sullivan, Executive Director of Strategy and Influence at Mencap, said: “It’s deeply concerning that social care is increasingly propping up the NHS and the vast majority of Directors are concerned that they do not have the budget to meet their legal duties. This pincer is desperately worrying and underscores the need for the government to tackle the social care crisis urgently.
“The knock-on effect for people with a learning disability is huge. Social care acts as a lifeline to leading happy healthy lives and people are missing out on vital care that enables them to integrate into their community.
“We know the government recognises long-term reform is needed but without immediate funding, we fear that the needs of people with a learning disability will continue to be unmet and invaluable dedicated staff will continue to leave the sector.”
