CQC state of heath and care report - The Care Provider Alliance response: Exposure and opportunities

16 October 2020

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has today issued its State of health care and adult social care report for 2019/20 – which includes the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic - exposes the weakness and strengths of the care sector, and highlights opportunities for change. CQC’s report provides further powerful evidence of the need for long-term reform and support to the already fragile social care sector.

The report clearly highlights the enormous pressures placed on care providers during the early stages of the pandemic, and the lack of parity with their NHS counterparts in relation to support. But it also acknowledges providers flexibility and openness to adapt in order to protect those who use their services, and their staff

Speaking about CQC’s findings and recommendations, Kathy Roberts, chair of the Care Provider Alliance said:

“Care providers are to be congratulated for their remarkable achievements: 85 per cent have achieved a good or outstanding CQC rating despite the huge pressures they have faced. But they cannot be taken for granted.

“COVID-19 has revealed, more starkly than ever, the lack of parity in the support given to the NHS and that given to social care. Paradoxically it has also highlighted the absolute inter-dependence of the two systems.  CQC’s report provides clear evidence and recommendations for improvement.

“Through the Care Provider Alliance’s work with care services, the NHS, central and local government, we have seen how working together as equal partners – sharing expertise and experience - makes a real difference.

“As the Alliance of the main trade associations working across the adult social care sector, the CPA is calling for:

• a long-term funding and support solution to ensure that the social care market is sustainable
• an equal place for care providers at local and national planning and decision-making tables alongside our health and local authority colleagues
• recognition and reward for our highly-skilled care workforce.

“In return, the CPA and our members will continue to work constructively with our colleagues across government and social care national agencies. We strongly welcome CQC’s rigorous and valuable report and recommendations.”

Contact§

Contact info@careprovideralliance.org.uk

Tel Iris Steen on 07792 636761

Website https://careprovideralliance.org.uk

Engage with CPA on Twitter @CPA_SocialCare

Notes to Editors§

About the Care Provider Alliance (CPA)

The Care Provider Alliance (CPA) brings together the 10 main national associations, which represent independent and voluntary adult social care providers in England. We work to represent the sector and ensure a coordinated response to the major issues that affect it.

The CPA bring together the ten national associations, which represent private, voluntary and community sector providers. We speak for the whole of the adult social care sector including care homes, home care services, Shared Lives schemes and retirement communities.

CPA members cover almost 10,000 organisations, employ over 600,000 staff and support an estimated 1 million people.

For more information on the Care Provider Alliance visit our website.