CPA Key Policy Statements

Last updated: 08 Feb 2021

As the collective, national voice of adult social care providers in England the Care Provider Alliance (CPA) bring together the ten national associations which represent private, voluntary and community sector providers.

1. Our goal is to ensure that people of all ages can maximise their independence and lead fulfilled lives, with access to high quality care and support when they need it most.

2. The whole of our adult social care system is an essential part of a healthy society and needs to be valued and treated as such. In addition to providing meaningful care and support to a wide range of people, the adult social care sector is estimated to contribute £41.2 billion per annum to the economy in England. The total wage bill for the sector, accounted for around half of this amount at £22.2 billion in 2019/20 (up 2% from 2018/19). (Source: The State of the Adult social Care sector and workforce in England - October 2020; Skills for Care)

3. The main recommendations within the Health and Social Care Committee’s report is for the Government to invest £7bn more per year in Adult Social care provision.*

4. The social care sector employs 1.52m colleagues working across communities yet there is a 30% staff turnover rate with 112,000 vacancies. (Source: The State of the Adult social Care sector and workforce in England - October 2020; Skills for Care) We need reform to deliver a long-term Social Care People Plan.

The CPA proposes 4 key tests for sustaining the future and reform of social care in England. These are:

1. The Future Shape:

• For policymakers to consult with care providers in the shaping of care service models for the future.
• Social care reform to provide a forward-looking picture of how social care should be delivered, not just restructuring the current ways of working.

2. People at the heart of reform:

• For the lived experience of those using care and support services, the views of their families and carers to help shape policies and strategic decisions in how care and support services are developed and delivered. This must encompass the wide range of people of all ages using care and support services. High quality care provision should be the default, to create improved outcomes.
• For the expertise, knowledge and experience of sector leaders to be used to address the ‘how’, when, why and what - in terms of care and support services - are developed and delivered; and for the conversation to move from just the ‘how much’.

3. Sustainability: 

• Proposals for reform to provide adequate and sustainable funding that underpins long term sector investment.
• For a well-thought out process of how policy decisions will be implemented and how they will impact the operational activities of care providers across the sector.

4. Equality and Inclusivity: 

• Social care reform proposals must address current unfairness in the system to make sure that ALL support provides:
  • Access to high quality care for all people regardless of financial means;
  • Eliminates the need for private payers to cross subsidise statutory responsibilities;
  • Provides fair pay, reward and career development structure for staff and that care staff are seen as skilled professionals;
  • To address the inequalities, discrimination and poor outcomes experienced by people at greater risk.

 Notes§

• *We know from the detailed funding analysis by the Health Foundation that the £7bn is a minimum step towards covering the future care costs within our society with a broad remit on the areas of funding it is intended to cover. (Source: Social Care Funding Gap - 20 October 2020; The Health Foundation)
• The Care Provider Alliance speaks for the whole of the adult social care sector including care homes, home care services, retirement communities, shared lives schemes, services for people with learning disabilities and autism, mental health and community based support.
• The Care Provider Alliance works alongside the government including the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Home Office and HM Treasury to advocate for policy and funding reform to support the providers of Adult Social Care and people accessing social care services.