Election candidates ‘must not get away with vague promises on social care’

Election candidates must not get away with “weasel words or vague promises” on social care, a providers group has warned.

Those knocking on doors asking for votes in the General Election should be told that “proper reform” is needed and they will be held accountable for political pledges, the Independent Care Group (ICG) said.

The organisation, which represents providers in York and North Yorkshire, said social care must be a priority for the parties.

Public satisfaction with social care services has dropped to a new low, according to survey results published in March.

Just over one in 10 (13%) of more than 3,000 respondents said they were quite or very satisfied with social care services while more than half (57%) reported being either quite or very dissatisfied.

The findings, from the British Social Attitudes survey for 2023, showed a fall in satisfaction from 14% the previous year.

The results, published by the Nuffield Trust and The King’s Fund, also showed what the researchers described as a notable difference in views depending on party affiliation.

Both Labour and Liberal Democrat supporters said they were more dissatisfied with social care services (62%), than Conservative supporters (51%).

Mike Padgham, ICG chairman, said: “At last, we have a General Election. Now let’s make sure it is a General Election for social care.

“This is the moment, for social care. We must seize this opportunity to begin reform that will give care to millions who can’t get it; give fair pay to a workforce that is short of 152,000 staff; end the closure of care providers and finally treat the oldest and most vulnerable section of our community with the respect it deserves.

“We have endured 30 years of neglect, betrayal and broken promises. Now we want to see the manifestos and hear what they intend for social care.

“And we must grasp this rare opportunity to get the country a cradle-to-the-grave service it deserves.

“When the candidates come to our doorsteps, we must ask them what they intend for social care and not let them off with weasel words or vague promises.

“We want proper reform and we will hold them accountable for what they promise.”

Last month, shadow social care minister Andrew Gwynne insisted a Labour government would be determined to “make social care work” but added that he cannot put a figure on how much investment there would be until the party was in power.

Speaking at the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (Adass) spring seminar in April, he said the landscape Labour will inherit if they win the election “will be utterly dire”, but vowed to make the case for funding as he restated his party’s plan for a so-called national care service (NCS).

A report published by a think tank last year at the request of shadow health secretary Wes Streeting suggested an NCS could be launched on the 80th anniversary of the NHS in July 2028 – but warned there is no “quick fix for our social care emergency”.

Previous estimates have suggested adult social care could need additional funding of around £8 billion a year to meet future demand.

Speaking at the same event, social care minister Helen Whately said that while “simplicity, ideology and slogans grab headlines” that “care is complex”.

Acknowledging the “big challenges” in the sector, she added that she sometimes feels “frustration at the talking down of social care”.

She said: “My final ask of you all is to tell it as it is. We know social care has big challenges. We know there’s a lot for us to do, we know that there are big challenges ahead but we are working on them. Together we are doing this.”

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