Social care funding welcomed but long-term fix needed

The funding – which will be given to councils in England – was announced by health secretary Matt Hancock (pictured). He said the additional investment would ease NHS winter pressures by increasing the number of care packages and home adaptations that will be delivered by social services. This would reduce delayed packages of care.

The money would fund more than 71,500 home care packages, 86,500 reablement packages and 27,000 home adaptations, Mr Hancock said.

The health secretary added that the announcement brought total winter funding up to £420m - £145m in capital funding and more than £36m for new ambulances were announced previously.

‘I want to help the NHS through this winter,’ he said. ‘We will use this money to get people who don’t need to be in hospital, but do need care, back home, back into their communities, so we can free up those vital hospital beds, and help people who really need it, get the hospital care they need.’

Glen Garrod, president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, welcomed the funding, but added that social services could do more in the community, which would relieve pressure on A&E.

‘This funding can only be a temporary and partial fix – we need to go much further, much faster, if we are to truly support people in the community. This can only be achieved with greater co-ordination between health, social care and housing services and through a long-term settlement for adult social care.’

Chris Hopson, the chief executive of NHS Providers, also welcomed the news. He said: ‘Delays in transferring patients to care outside of hospital have been a focal point of winter pressure on the health system. These waits are not good for patients, families or NHS staff working under pressure.

‘Trusts and local authorities have worked incredibly hard over the year to reduce these delays. But after a difficult summer of record-breaking demand, trusts are not in the position they would want to be in heading into winter. This extra money will definitely help and we therefore welcome it.’

Both NHS Providers and the ADASS said the green paper on social care must ensure the service is sustainable in the long term. Mr Hopson said: ‘For the long-term the government's forthcoming green paper must propose bold action to put social care on the sustainable footing it so desperately needs.’