Stabilise, energise, realise: a long term plan for social care
This report from Future Health and Alzheimer's Society seeks to set out what needs to happen and how to deliver a social care system to be proud of as a nation, in order to work with the Government to address this challenge and develop the solutions.
Integration of health and social care has been a goal of government for some time now. But to truly achieve this, the NHS and social care must be seen to be on an equal footing. This report sets out the initial building blocks for both The NHS Long Term Plan and workforce plan for social care.
The report also builds on the position of the Alzheimer's Society on the quality of care set out in the paper, A Future for Personalised Care. As they continue to move towards reform, they will need all voices to amplify this goal of personalised care based on what matters to people, as set out in the vision of Social Care Future and supported by many leaders across the sector.
The report says that the over-riding approach in this long-term plan for a better social care system is to deliver more personalised care. The plan also seeks to deliver a system that tailors care around the needs and wants of the individual involved. The report states that the core principles for this should be social care that:
- Offers choice and control, responds to changing needs, actively seeks feedback and encourages and support people to maintain their independence
- Supports the individual with choosing the setting their own goals
- Recognises the importance of relationships to health and wellbeing
- Improves people’s experience of living well – including measuring psychological factors such as optimism, self-esteems, loneliness and depression.
The report also makes recommendations under funding, public engagement and information, workforce, quality, intergration, carers, and new technology and investment.