Care after COVID: Building a better adult social care system

Join Bright Blue for a discussion on how to build a better adult social care system after COVID-19.

COVID-19 has had a devastating impact in adult social care. Tens of thousands of the deaths from the disease have been people in care homes. The pandemic has also magnified many of the issues that have blighted the adult social care sector since before the pandemic, including the limited resources available to care workers and the low wages they are paid for their work, leading to high vacancy rates and turnover. The lack of integration between the health and social care systems which contributed to the death toll in care homes means preventative measures, including in-house care, are often overlooked to keep people out of the care setting altogether. Moreover, those entering the care system frequently face needing to pay large costs, forcing them selling their homes to pay for care, and limited choice leading to a postcode lottery which dictates the quality of care received. The Government has committed to finding a lasting cross-party consensus around a solution to the provision of adult social care. The experience of COVID-19 could act as a watershed moment, ensuring that solution is delivered.