Concordat sets out vision for social care

Social care leaders will unveil their vision of how public services should support vulnerable people and call for the Government to set out its plans.

Social services chiefs, charities, campaigners and care providers will publish a concordat at the annual social services conference setting out how services can change to meet rising demand, increasing costs and the challenge of spending cuts.

Among the signatories will be the Local Government Association and directors of adult services.

Social care minister Paul Burstow issued a statement as part of the launch welcoming the initiative.

But he is under pressure to end speculation by publishing the Department of Health’s plans for social care.

A senior source involved in the launch told LocalGov.co.uk ‘There are tough choices that will have to be made. We have waited long enough and do not have the luxury of time as we have services to run now.’

The LGA yesterday published its discussion paper on the future of adult social care, with a warning that focusing on budgets alone would not deliver a system that would help vulnerable people.

It called for an end to ‘shipping out’ of older people to care homes from hospitals and called for a system that would enable people to stay in their homes and communities for longer.

It said: ‘Any approach that is focused solely and simply on cutting budgets will not work. Not in these times. We need to build on the best of what we have learned.’