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More than 30 councils and organisations call on government to plan “complete reset” of adult social care system

COUNCILS, charities and health groups are calling for the government to urgently outline how they will implement a “complete reset” of the adult social-care system.

They are calling on ministers to do this before Parliament returns from its summer recess in September.

The groups include the Local Government Association (LGA) and more than 30 organisations, including the Alzheimer’s Society, NHS Confederation and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services.

A radical restructuring of social care is needed after the coronavirus pandemic, they say. The groups have set out seven principles for change, including “adequate and sustainable funding and supporting the care workforce.”

LGA chairman James Jamieson said: “The Covid-19 crisis has proved that we need a complete reset, not a restart, when it comes to the future of social care.

“The pandemic has also served to highlight the incredibly valuable role of social care in its own right and why it is more important than ever before that we find a long-term and sustainable solution so that people of all ages can live the life they want to lead.”

He added that the government should engage in cross-party talks on the future of adult social care.

The call is being backed by the GMB, which represents care workers. The union said that the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed how critical such reform of the sector is.

During the pandemic, some 20,000 people in care homes have died. Residents’ safety was put at risk by hospital patients being transferred to care homes without having undergone tests for the coronavirus.

GMB has reported that members had to lobby the government to provide even the most basic personal protective equipment for a staff and criticised ministers’ “negligent” approach to the sector during the pandemic.

The union has also called on the government to tackle the low wages and lack of sick pay for the predominantly female workforce. 

GMB’s care lead Kelly Andrews told the Star: “GMB union has consistently called for this government to take a serious look at social care. 

“Too many papers have been written on what needs to change, yet the issue of social care continues to be thrown into the ‘too difficult’ box. 

“Covid-19 has highlighted how broken the social-care sector is — underfunded, fragmented — and this government continues to fail the workforce and all the vulnerable people that rely upon social care.”

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