CQC State of Care Report and Queens Speech - Alzheimer’s Society comments
Today the Care Quality Commission released their annual assessment of health and social care in England.
This year's report looks at the correlation between significant increases in the rise in emergency admissions in areas where social care services are in decline or facing limitation in delivery.
Yesterday the Queen’s speech outlined the Government's agenda for the next 12 months, which included promises to reform adult social care, but no specific legislation was outlined. The speech included a mention that the Government will consult on a 2% precept to enable councils to access a further £500m for adult social care. This was a reiteration of an announcement in the September Spending Review.
Jeremy Hughes, CEO at Alzheimer’s Society said: “Today’s report once again highlights the desperate situation people with dementia find themselves in as a result of our unjust social care system.
“The report’s findings echo what we’ve seen through our campaigning, that the dire state of social care is resulting in more and more people with dementia being rushed to hospital with falls, dehydration, infections, and other avoidable emergencies.
“Published on the day that the Government has omitted any detailed plans for social care reform from the Queen’s Speech, questions need to be asked as to how the Prime Minister intends to fulfil his promise to ‘fix the social care crisis, once and for all.’
“All we’ve had today, aside from promises, is a reiteration of the spending review announcement that councils could be allowed to increase their tax by 2% to fund social care. It’s not new money from the Government. The approach is short-termist, penalises councils with more older and non-working people, and is a drop in the ocean in terms of the level of money we need.
“People with dementia are among society’s most vulnerable and under unbearable strain. They don’t need more promises, they need action.”
