Abolition of NHS England creates more uncertainty for social care

The decision to abolish NHS England marks a significant shift in how healthcare is structured in this country. While it’s positive to see decisive action being taken, big moves like this create a great deal of uncertainty - especially for those of us in the social care sector. The government must recognise that you cannot fix or reorganize the NHS without addressing social care.

Cuts at ICBs

And it's crucial that we focus on the details behind these reforms. Alongside the abolition of NHS England, it’s reported that Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) have been directed to slash their running costs by 50%. This raises serious concerns for homecare providers, as further cuts to local commissioning budgets could exacerbate what the Homecare Association has described as state-sponsored labour exploitation in our sector.

ICBs are already struggling. Many NHS commissioners currently purchase homecare at rates that don’t even cover minimum wage plus statutory costs for care workers. The financial strain on providers is worsened by the fact that over 80% of homecare providers report late payment of invoices by the NHS. If ICBs face even deeper budget cuts, we risk seeing homecare providers collapse, care worker pay stagnate, and older people left without essential support.

Where’s the social care strategy?

The Prime Minister and his team must set out a detailed plan urgently. Any reform of the NHS must go hand in hand with a robust, well-funded social care strategy - because the two are intrinsically linked. Home care providers, carers, and the people we support need clarity and confidence in the future of care services. We cannot afford delays, and we cannot afford to be an afterthought. We need to see a fully integrated approach, where social care is recognised as an essential pillar of the healthcare system.

We call on the government to provide the sector with the long-term vision it needs. The future of care in this country depends on it.

#NHSEngland #SocialCare