Statement from our CEO Sam Monaghan: Care Quality Commission (CQC)'s annual report

The findings revealed in the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) annual report will come as no surprise to people working in social care. The report highlights a perfect storm of pressures, including tighter local authority budgets and increased running costs.

At MHA, we have long been vocal about the recruitment and retention issues that the sector is facing. With an ageing workforce, and an ageing population, there’s a real danger that care providers will need to deliver more care with less staff in the future.

That’s why we are calling on the Government to fund and enable the creation of a Social Care Council - as part of our wider Fix Care for All campaign. The Council would act as an independent body representing the 1.5 million people working in social care – examining pay scales, accreditation, training and recruitment, and investing more into changing public perceptions around what it means to choose care as a profession.

Unless we can incentivise people to work in the sector, and reward them fairly for the work they do, the workforce crisis will only deepen.

With a general election looming, we hope the CQC’s report serves as a wake-up call across the political spectrum that social care must be an absolute priority in 2024.