We can’t fix the NHS without social care
James Tugendhat, Chief Executive
| HC-One
As the largest provider of social care in the country, we at HC-One recognise our role in ensuring the health and wellbeing not just of our residents but also of the NHS
Coming into winter, we know the challenges the health and social care system will once again face.
The NHS cannot meet new needs in hospitals if we cannot discharge those ready to leave. Right now, too many people are unable to move to more appropriate settings due to limited intermediate care or home care options, a lack of quality dementia care, and delayed care assessments.
A quarter of hospital beds are occupied by people living with dementia1
One in seven beds were occupied by people who were declared fit to discharge2
The direct cost of delayed discharges totalled £1.9b in 2022-233
In his review of the NHS, Lord Darzi told us: “It is impossible to understand what has been happening in the NHS without understanding what has happened to social care. Social care has not been valued or resourced sufficiently, which has both a profound human cost and economic consequences.” 4
We have never had a long-term government plan for the future of care. We hope that the government’s 10-year plan for health breaks this trend and recognises that health and care need to work together.
There are also things we can do now to pave the way. Prioritising care assessments, reserving care home beds for those leaving hospital and investing in reablement therapy to support people to move home without the need for ongoing care are the first steps we could take to improve outcomes.
Commissioning for the right outcome
- Care Boards should be funded to commission and block-book care beds to ensure there is step-down capacity if and when it is needed.
- Councils and the NHS should invest in reablement therapy, so people are given the best chance to recover the strength, confidence and skills of daily living − either in their own home or during a short stay in a care setting.
Investing in digital
- As part of the NHS digital strategy, social care needs to play a key part. The ability for GPs and hospitals to share information with care providers will increase efficiency, transparency, and improve patient outcomes.
Attract investment to build more care homes
- The care home sector, particularly those delivering publicly funded care, needs to build capacity that meets the needs of an aging population with increasingly complex conditions, including additional dementia care settings.
- Attracting investors to build new care homes could go a long way in addressing the shortfall. Planning reform to reduce delays to new care infrastructure and a shared understanding that councils will meet the costs of delivering care are key.
Ultimately, we cannot solve the challenges facing the NHS without a well-resourced, well-organised, and well-regulated care system. We have the opportunity now to create a system that works for everyone − patients, providers, and the NHS.
Please contact externalaffairs@hc-one.co.uk to find out more about how our homes work with the NHS and local authorities in your constituency.
References
1. National Audit of Dementia - Round 4 Audit Report, HQIP
2. Up to one in three English hospital beds occupied by patients fit for discharge, The Guardian
3. The Hidden Problems Behind Delayed Discharges, The King's Fund (kingsfund.org.uk)
4. Independent Investigation of the National Health Service in England, 2024
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