WIREDGOV

Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive at The King’s Fund, commented on the Care Quality Commission’s annual ‘State of Care’ assessment of services in England

‘This report highlights that lack of access to community services is driving some people to seek care in A&E, and sometimes not seek care at all. A finding echoed in our recent NHS admin report, which shows issues of navigating the system can put people off seeking care altogether.

‘The government is absolutely right to want to shift the focus of the NHS from hospital to community, but that ambition is not new. Despite multiple attempts to move more care into the community, the focus of government remains on hospital care and waiting times targets. For the shift to happen successfully, the government must be clear that there will need to be trade-offs, with both more focus and more investment in primary and community services so that people can get the care they need to keep them living well wherever they live.

‘The social care system will also need to be better staffed, organised and funded than it is now. The CQC report highlights concerns about the high vacancy rate in adult social care, particularly in home care, which is a vital component of effective care in the community. It is also concerning to hear further evidence of how shortages in health and care staff in rehabilitation and reablement services is affecting how quickly people recover after hospital stays and are able to return to independent lives in their communities.

‘The picture in this report is not universally bad. The report states there are some positive examples of where health and social care services are working together to put people first. However, there is a real risk that these good news stories will remain isolated examples of local change unless the government ups its game on tackling the underlying causes of ill-health and picks up the pace on reforming adult social care.

‘The CQC has faced criticism in recent years from both politicians and the organisations it regulates and this week its chief executive has stood down. We have seen all too often what happens when our health and care providers fail the patients and public they are meant to serve. This only emphasises how an independent regulator, which assesses the quality of care without fear or favour, can have an incredibly powerful role in our health and care system. As the CQC undergoes a period of reform, I hope it can rapidly regain public confidence that it is capable of enhancing safety, raising standards, and improving the quality of the health and care services we all rely on.’