Social care should be seen as an economic investment in order to fix a ‘fundamentally broken’ system, according to Number 10.
A report commissioned by Downing Street and the Department of Health warns reform is now essential and ‘doing nothing is not a viable option’.It argues that if spending is seen as an investment rather than a necessary evil, it could free up spending in other parts of the public sector and generate efficiency savings.
Professor Jon Glasby, of Birmingham University, said better commissioning, more collaboration between health and social care were critical to drive change in support for older and vulnerable people.
Better support for carers, an increase in personal budgets plus increased use of ‘telecare’ would improve quality and end the sprawling growth of old-style services.
His report panned the current system as a means-tested, patchwork of poorly co-ordinated services.
The report warned against doing nothing: ‘Costs will double over the next 20 years and that money will be spent on a system that is now widely seen to be delivering poor quality results.’
