Joe Pidgeon: Improved social care would mean a much better NHS

Joe Pidgeon looks into the reasons why making improvements to social care is essential for the NHS. 

 

Every one of us may perhaps have friends or family who might be going to require help with their own personal health care; assistance with dressing, washing plus remaining secure and safe overnight. These are definitely required services for weak seniors so they can to retain self-esteem within their self-sufficiency.

 

 

In a earlier occasion community nurses would probably have used plenty of their time accomplishing these activities. Not currently, because only about 15% of the necessities and care of seniors can be described as 'medical'. Services for 'personal care' come from either adult social services, from family carers, or a blend of both of those.

 

Both these resources of help are up against major demands. The Chancellor asserted within the Autumn Spending Review that "the health service is not able to do the job competently with out really good social care". One depends on the other.

 

Nevertheless, perversely, the NHS expense plan remains secured, while adult social health care - not ring-fenced by way of the Federal government - has suffered community authority budget cuts. As a result between 2010-2015 NHS spending has raised by 19.3%, even while social care spending has become chopped by 10.7%.

 

This financing mismatch, and resulting weak spot in local community health care preparation, has taken its toll. Across England 25% less folks are now receiving these social care support, as their needs are not yet considered as "vital or considerable".

 

The effects for the NHS are multiplied hospital admission, and also difficulties in safe patient discharge.

 

In the meantime, cash-strapped councils are having to force payments to suppliers of residential and home care. The pay of health care staff members remains far lesser than the skills of the job merits.

 

The result is high staff turnover in residential and also home care, as employees travel to better paid and much less challenging work like work in supermarkets.

 

With this particular severe downward demand on social care budgets, employees will not be properly supported and the quality of health care is afflicted. Nationwide, throughout the last year, the Care Quality Commission found 41% of adult social care provision, either in individuals homes or in residential care, to be inadequate or needing improvement.

 

The Chancellor's acknowledgement of the inter-dependency of health and social care points him to advise that local authorities fill the gap by boosting their council taxes by 2% to fund adult social health care. This humble increase in spending, insufficient as it might be, should be seized upon by councils to stop additional damaging decrease in social care.