ADASS responds to DHSC ASC £600m Reform Funding Announcement

Statement from ADASS, in response to the Government’s announcement that the remaining £600m of additional adult social care reform package they pledged in April would be focused on enabling councils to address the staffing crisis in social care, provide more care at home, support carers and meet the challenge of winter pressures.

Beverley Tarka, President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services said: “We welcome this announcement of £600 million funding for adult social care. It will help this winter, which is going to be difficult for all of us needing or working in health or care. And it will bring relief to disabled and older adults, their families and carers, who rely on care and support services to live their lives.

“The Government has listened to calls from Directors and others in adult social care to make resources available earlier to support planning for winter. By announcing this funding now, guaranteeing the funding over two years and giving councils flexibility to spend it where it will make the most difference, the Government is putting us in a much better place than last year, when funding came too late, while we were already in the middle of a winter crisis.

“For example, this funding could be used by councils to invest in providing more care at home to prevent people needing to go into hospital, offering carers more support or targeting funds to counter the challenges they face with the recruitment and retention of the workforce. This could all help to reduce waiting lists for care.

“Directors of adult social care like me will sleep better knowing we have more resources to go towards meeting the ever-increasing need for social care – our latest survey showed that while social care need is rising across all areas of our communities, three-quarters of Directors expressed concern they won’t have enough in their budget to get people the right care at the right time. Though this won’t solve all these problems over the long-term, but it will help stabilise the situation and help us address the challenges this winter.”