• Findings of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) autumn survey released today show that 90% of directors say they have concerns or insufficient capacity to deal with winter.
• Directors identified that there have been unintended consequences of the strong focus on reducing rates of delayed transfers of care from hospitals in their areas.
  
  

Responding to the ADASS autumn survey, the director of policy and strategy at NHS Providers, Miriam Deakin said:

“It is extremely disheartening to see that social care leaders are concerned about their ability to provide adequate care over the course of this winter due to a lack of capacity and an increase in demand and complexity.

“These concerns echo those that NHS leaders have been voicing – for too long there has been delay in addressing the social care crisis. The whole health and care system works together over winter to keep patients safe, and the burdens of increased demand are felt right across the system.

The whole health and care system works together over winter to keep patients safe, and the burdens of increased demand are felt right across the system.

Miriam Deakin    Co-Director of Development and Engagement

“That’s why the social care sector desperately needs investment through a long-term settlement to put it back on a sustainable footing. Any future government must create a fair and accessible system and ensure that people can locally access the care they need.

“We also need to continue to build on the collaboration between health and care organisations to ensure people receive joined-up safe care and to ensure that resources are used as efficiently as possible across the system.

Without addressing the social care crisis, we risk devaluing every pound of investment in the NHS.

Miriam Deakin    Co-Director of Development and Engagement

“Without addressing the social care crisis, we risk devaluing every pound of investment in the NHS. From a health perspective, a lack of action will mean an increase in avoidable hospital admissions, long stays for patients, and delayed transfers of care – on top of what we already know is turning out to be a very difficult winter ahead.”