Sheffield councillor calls for immediate government action on adult social care crisis

Coun Angela Argenzio, who chairs Sheffield City Council’s adult health and social care committee, reacted to Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s announcement today (January 3) that an independent commission, headed by Baroness Louise Casey, will look at adult social care services ahead of the National Care Service that the government has pledged to set up.

The final results of the commission’s work are expected to appear in three years’ time, causing an outcry by opposition parties. Coun Argenzio added her voice, saying that the problems are already well known and immediate solutions are needed.

Coun Argenzio said: “The crisis in the adult social care sector has been well known for many years. The problems are understood – chronic underfunding, a lack of trained, well-paid staff and large private sector care providers driven by the profit motive. Many quality, smaller care providers find it difficult to make ends meet with spiralling energy bills, often poorly-insulated accommodation and fees that barely cover these costs.”

She added: “We cannot wait three years to hear the commission’s report before we act. It will largely tell us what we already know, and then who knows how many years to see real action. We need proper investment in the care sector now.

“The Green Party is calling for £20 billion of investment in adult social care funded through a wealth tax. The wealth tax we propose is 1% on assets over £10 million and 2% on assets over £1 billion.

Wealthy

“This modest tax on the very wealthy levers significant funding for public services. So far, the Labour government has refused to consider a wealth tax.

“We need free personal care for elderly and disabled people and increased pay rates and a career structure for carers to rebuild the care workforce. Only in this way can we ensure we have a sustainable adult social care sector that we all may need in the years to come.”

Get the latest headlines, straight to your inbox, with The Star’s free emails

Increased demand for adult care services mean that Sheffield City Council is facing a £9.5m overspend on its budget, one of the main drivers of a £34m overall budget shortfall it is grappling with. The other major issues involve rising costs of homelessness services, children’s social care and home to school transport for children and young people with additional needs.

Councillors have also voiced concerns that the government’s decision to increase employers’ National Insurance contributions will have a major impact on the private care companies that it relies upon to provide services.

The government said that the first phase of the commission, reporting in 2026, will identify the critical issues and set out recommendations for medium-term reform and improvement.

Foundations

This would lay the foundations for the introduction of a National Care Service, following the longer-term recommendations of Baroness Casey’s commission.

Opposition parties have been invited to take part, with the aim of building a cross-party consensus.

Baroness Casey said: “Millions of older people, disabled people, their families and carers rely upon an effective adult social care system to live their lives to the full, with independence and dignity.

“An independent commission is an opportunity to start a national conversation, find the solutions and build consensus on a long-term plan to fix the system. I am pleased the Prime Minister has asked me to lead this vital work.”