What does social care need in 2022?
It’s been a tumultuous two years for many around the world, and those working in health and social care. The sector has been propelled into the throws of the pandemic and it has been a double-edged sword. On one side concerns have been on the front pages of news stories and the lips of politicians. On the other, proposed solutions have been lacklustre and the real issues misunderstood.
I have wondered then, how can we move forward with the vigour that allows us to feel a sense of normality in the short term, emerging with a system that works for more people in the longer? Our FixCareForAll campaign addresses some of this, and as a provider, we are still committed to seeing all of our five calls realised. However, the conversations I had with our people on the frontline and sector leaders tell me that our work is far from over.
I have attempted to surmise these points into three areas for improvement in 2022 that could enable us to achieve our ambitions for an adequate social care system.
1. Giving a voice to the sector
We [the sector as a whole] must do much better at hearing from colleagues who care for the older people in our services. They have invaluable insight into what works on the ground and what doesn’t, they know those they look after to a high degree and have the commitment and dedication to see past the ageism that society is rife with. When we create systems to hear from them consistently before we write legislation, or create national recruitment campaigns - we do things better, we save money, we achieve better engagement and ultimately impact.
But, the same goes for those in their care. As a society, we keep reforming care based on assumptions, not requirements. I am certain that many of us won’t truly understand how much is lacking from our system until we need to access it, and by then it’s too late. We’re too desperate for help to make necessary and fair demands, so we accept what we’re given and the cycle continues.
Any hope to create a system that is accessible and less complex at the point of use must be bolstered by listening to the experiences of those in care settings and their loved ones who play a critical role in enabling care packages.
2. Collaboration as leaders
As providers and leaders in the sector, we have rightly had much to ask for in recent months, but our need to be reactive and stick our heads above the parapet is surely now trumped by the need for us to be in one voice. There’s currently a lot of noise, resulting in selective hearing from those in power. Collaboration is key, not just across social care but health too. When it comes to reform it’s no longer about commercial viability, but one of morality and ethics. Varying ideas in what the solutions are only makes room for inadequate proposals and no one point of truth.
Roundtables allow us to establish ideas and share thinking, as do all the webinars, panel discussions and events. However, I’d like to see us go a step further and build this into actions where all settings in adult social care can agree on our top requirements to elevate the sector and truly make the system right for all. The lack of a shared voice proves to me why our sector reform has been neglected for as long as it has. We may never individually work out a fair price for care, but by pooling our knowledge and data across the sector we could arrive at an answer that is sustainable and realistic for many rather than the few.
3. The power of supporters
One thing I learned from our reform campaign last year is that the public cares about care. They are concerned about their care options just as much as their loved ones’. This is why decision-makers finally listened - because it mattered to you. Going forwards, adult social care needs more agents for change, people who are willing to take action when it’s needed, people willing to say ‘I don’t have the answers, but I want better choices in my later life’.
At MHA, it’s incredibly important for me that we continue in our efforts to campaign and advocate for societal change and I want you to come along for that journey. We are taking our time to build a list of like-minded individuals who truly care. For me, this is not a data-gathering exercise, it’s a way to band together and show power in our collective voice. If you want to come along for the journey, and I hope you do, click here and sign up. It’s only the beginning, but if you want a system that is ‘fixed’ and able to work for all, then I think we have something in common and it’d be great to see you join me in those efforts.
