Social care must become a ‘national priority’ if Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) are to succeed, a major report has concluded.
The review, led by former health secretary Patricia Hewitt, called for further funding and a workforce strategy for social care.
It read: ‘If health and care are to be effectively integrated and delivered at ICS level, social care needs to be a national priority for investment and workforce development.’
President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, Sarah McClinton, said: ‘We need to fix adult social care to ensure our families and friends get the care and support they need in the future.
‘As the Hewitt Review points out, that must include a national workforce strategy to sort the staffing crisis in social care, complementing the one the Government is developing for the NHS.’
On finance, Ms Hewitt recommended a funding increase for public health, an alignment of budgets and grants for health and local government, and an end to ‘small in-year funding pots with extensive reporting requirements’.
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