Imagine a world without iPads or tablet computers; no YouTube or Netflix; no Snapchat, Instagram or Pinterest; no Uber or Airbnb or Spotify…it’s hard, isn’t it? And yet just 20 years ago none of these brands existed. Neither did the Care Quality Commission or Skills for Care or the Department of Health and Social Care. And we hadn’t heard the term Brexit or experienced the effects of COVID-19.
The 20th anniversary of the publication of Care Management Matters (CMM) is an opportunity to reflect on the last 20 years for the adult social care sector. 2003 was also the year the National Care Forum (NCF) was launched to bring a stronger voice to
not-for-profit care providers! CMM put managers in social care front and centre – properly recognising the professionalism of the role. In 2004, CMM became one of the first sponsors of the annual NCF Managers Conference heralding the formal start of an enduring relationship. CMM has since established a strong working relationship across the sector, particularly through its series of regional care sector conferences. I am also proud to have been around at the beginning of CMM’s formation of the excellent 3rd Sector Care Awards – another far-sighted commitment by Robert Chamberlain as Chief Executive at the time.
Of course, any 20-year reflection on the adult social care sector in the UK would be likely to reveal some significant changes as it’s the nature of a dynamic, evolving sector. Looking back to the early years of the 21st century is a reminder too of so many hopes and aspirations. The titles of policy papers highlight the promises made: Putting People First (2007), Caring for our Future: Reforming Care and Support (2012) or more recently, Build Back Better: Our Plan for Health and Social Care (2021). These policy statements introduced the idea of prevention and early intervention, the promotion of wellbeing and independence, and person-centred planning – all laudable. They all promised to transform social care services.
Promises that have not been delivered because circumstances changed or commitment didn’t match the rhetoric or simply that insufficient funding was available. It all amounts to lost potential, which has undermined care and support services for all groups of users.
Arguably, there have been improvements in our understanding of the primary importance of keeping people at the heart of care and support services, of the value of self-directed support and even in the quality of many services. Sadly, this is not yet the universal experience for everyone in need of care and support or their families. Eligibility criteria have changed considerably over the years and many more people now pay the full cost of their own care.
The difficulties of recruitment and retention, which have long been a challenge in social care, appear to have become even more pressing, to the point that staffing is in crisis in some parts of the social care sector. In some areas, the inability to recruit staff is undermining the provision of services. The current cost of living crisis is part of the wider context which, on the back of Brexit, is leading to evident discontent from workers in many different parts of the economy, including the NHS.
The adult social care sector hasn’t yet recovered from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Occupancy levels in care homes, in particular, remain stubbornly below
pre-pandemic levels. Confidence in care services has also suffered and, despite promises by the Government to ‘fix social care’, there is little evidence that future funding for social care will be sufficient to deliver the wide-scale reform deemed necessary for the future.
In my view, CMM was ahead of its time. The magazine has consistently championed the need for professional management in social care services, supporting front-line managers with information, education and development opportunities so vital to good care. That gives me grounds for optimism as a better future will be built from properly valuing front-line managers in social care.