Not Enough & Too Late: C&SW Comment on Proposed Green Paper.

David Smallacombe, CEO of Care & Support West suggests that current dithering on the part of government risks fundamental damage to the very structure of the care sector, increasing costs and reducing choice; the very opposite of what is required:

" a green paper entitled “Shaping the future together” in June 2018 will be too late for the care sector as many small to medium size businesses (which provide 70% of the care in England) will have by then folded. There will be a much reduced independent and private sector future to shape and local authorities will already have needed to fill the gaps via their Duty of Care to citizens under the Care Act and by dint of that will be in even more financial difficulty.

My advice to Government is simple 3 point ask:

1.   “Stop Brexiting” and manage the care crisis at home” or at least do it alongside

2.   Immediately fund local Councils to pay the real cost of care

3.   Challenge CQC and local authority QA Teams to work in partnership with independent sector care providers to appropriately weed out poorly performing providers