I seem to be suffering from information overload at the minute. I almost ‘missed’ the publication by the National Audit Office (NAO) of a report entitled “Adult social care in England: overview”. Click here to download the report as a PDF. It is described as the first of a series of reports: “This report, the first in a series on adult care, describes the care system. It highlights the main risks and challenges as the system is changed radically, some of which will be covered in more detail in future years”.
The report states, to put it simply, that demand is rising and funding is falling. This is the first conclusion of the report: “Pressures on the care system are increasing. Providing adequate adult social care poses a significant public service challenge and there are no easy answers. People are living longer and some have long-term and complex health conditions that require managing through care. Need for care is rising while public spending is falling, and there is unmet need. Departments do not know if we are approaching the limits of the capacity of the system to continue to absorb these pressures.“
For for those receiving adult social care (and for their families and carers) this report is hardly reassuring. I am left with the feeling that we are taking part in either an uncontrolled social experiment or a stress-test. Or as the report concludes: “As the changes take effect, central and local government risk not knowing if:-
- services are deteriorating to unacceptable levels;
- needs are not being met;
- care quality is improving; and public funding is achieving value for money”