Health and care select committee publish report on the cost of not reforming social care
Last week the House of Commons Health and Care Select committee has published its report Adult Social Care Reform: The Cost of Inaction.
Last week the House of Commons Health and Care Select committee has published its report Adult Social Care Reform: The Cost of Inaction.
The report, which follows a process of oral and written evidence that drew high numbers of respondents from across the care sector, including from our national partners Healthwatch England.
They submitted a response which included evidence from them and the entire local Healthwatch network, including Healthwatch in Devon, Plymouth & Torbay.
The report focuses on several areas impacted by inaction: those receiving care (or in need of it, unpaid carers, councils, providers and councils, the NHS and the economy.
Much of the evidence included is a helpful restatement of what is already known about the situation. However, its conclusion is that inaction has had substantial financial, societal , and well-being costs that likely justify the cost of reform in itself. The committee chiefly recommends that the government properly calculate the cost of inaction.
Healthwatch England’s finding that up to 1.5 million working-age disabled people could be eligible for care but do not receive it. Amongst other recommendations, the committee adopted Healthwatch England's recommendation for a calculation of unmet need.
Healthwatch England hope that this report is carefully considered by the Casey commission into social care who are now beginning their work.
Healthwatch England have since been invited by the King's Fund to be part of a group drawing up a report to try to shape the commission's thinking.
