Care leaders have expressed their disappointment after today’s King’s Speech failed to address pressures on the sector.

Sam Monaghan, chief executive of MHA, said the statement setting out the government’s priorities for the next year had given “little emphasis to social care”.

Monaghan said: “The social care system remains in crisis, so it was disappointing to see nothing in today’s King’s Speech to alleviate ongoing pressures.”

Highlighting over 400,000 people awaiting assessment, care provision or review, and 150,000 vacancies in the sector, Monaghan called on the government to back and invest in a Social Care Council, as part of its Fix Care For All campaign.

The Social Care Council would act as an independent body representing the 1.5 million people working in social care by examining pay scales, accreditation, training and recruitment, and investing more into changing public perceptions around what it means to choose care as a career.

Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, said: “When Boris Johnson was first elected as prime minister, he stood on the steps of 10 Downing Street and promised to fix social care.

“Three prime ministers later, that promise sits broken. With silence on social care in the King’s Speech, the pressure is now on the former secretary of state for health and social care, Jeremy Hunt, to outline how the government can make true on its promise. Whilst last year’s Autumn Statement saw an unprecedented investment into the sector, the dial has not tangibly shifted.

“The stabilisation of the social care sector is crucial for those who rely on care and support and for the 1.6 million strong workforce, the NHS, the tax-payer, and the economy more broadly. Care England remains hopeful that the Autumn Statement will be an opportunity to show that this government is truly committed to fixing social care.”  

Groups representing mental health professionals also expressed disappointment that the speech failed to include plans to reform the Mental Health Act.

Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive at NHS Providers said: “The 40-year-old Mental Health Act desperately needs updating so that patients can be at the heart of how they access care and treatment.

“This includes ensuring appropriate safeguards are in place as well as clearer individual rights and liberties that enable patients and service users to have a more active role in their care planning.

“Reforming the Act would also help address severe race inequalities. Under the current mental health law, people from minority ethnic backgrounds are up to five times more likely to be detained than their white counterparts. Urgent action is needed to tackle this discrimination.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “The government has made available up to £8.1 billion over this year and next to strengthen adult social care provision. This funding will enable local authorities to buy more care packages, help people leave hospital on time, improve workforce recruitment and retention and reduce waiting times for care.

“The new funding represents a more than real terms increase and data published last week showed that spending on adult social care has increased in real terms for eight consecutive years.”