A new white paper has been launched detailing the “first steps to fixing social care”.

Home care technology specialist Birdie has today released the white paper, titled ‘Ready to Care: The First Steps to Fixing Social Care’, including recommendations from 20 UK social care experts across the sector.

Contributors come from backgrounds such as providers, local authorities, NHS trusts and policy organisation, and provides a blueprint for the government to address social care challenges.

Its list of recommendations include some that can be implemented in the autumn budget and take effect by the end of the year. 

Co-authored by Max Parmentier, Birdie CEO, and Rachael Crook, CEO of provider Lifted, it is also supported by co-signatories like Martin Jones, CEO of Home Instead, and Darren Stapelberg, CEO of Grosvenor Health & Social Care, the second largest independent provider of domiciliary care in the UK. 

The white paper outlines seven key recommendations to guide the focus and reforms needed in social care:

• New legislation to amend the 2022 Health and Care Act, mandating Director of Adult Social Care representatives are on all NHS ICB boards nationwide – removing silos, improving coordination, reducing hospital admissions, and streamlining discharges;
• NHS England to delegate healthcare tasks to trained care workers for three acute conditions (UTI, pneumonia, cellulitis) and three chronic conditions (diabetes, dementia, hypertension). Research shows enhanced community care could have prevented 855,000 emergency admissions in 2019/20; a delegation framework would expand community care and keep thousands of patients out of hospital;
• Establish a national online support service for the five million unpaid carers, whose care is valued at £162 billion—nearly the NHS budget. This would provide essential information and resources, identify previously unrecognised carers, and collect valuable data to inform future policy;
• Reduce the hidden burden of travel time for home care workers. Currently, home care workers are sent to scattered areas, spending nearly 20% of their time travelling according to the Home Care Association and 75% aren’t receiving proper compensation. The paper recommends the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) implements neighbourhood-based models, where local authorities divide regions to form consortiums to streamline service delivery and reduce travel time;
• The Care Quality Commission (CQC) to undergo a rapid overhaul using digital tools. Reform care assessments by focusing on a few core quality indicators tracked in real-time, streamlining inspections, allowing for mock evaluations and shortening lengthy inspection times;
• Mandate real-time data-sharing between hospitals and care providers by integrating social care software with the NHS Capacity Tracker. This will improve patient discharge processes, resource planning and collaboration between the NHS and social care sectors;
• Seed a Teach First-style programme for social care leaders: DHSC should reallocate existing funding to provide start-up capital to establish a leadership development programme. This would be modelled on the success of Teach First but applicable to career changers and promising care workers as well as graduates.

The white paper shines a light on the disconnect between the NHS and social care sectors, which contributes to 1.1 million blocked beds and 64% of medically fit patients having to wait for social care as of April 2024, Birdie said, citing government statistics.

While Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has indicated a shift towards community services over hospitals following the Darzi report, the care technology supplier believes that more can be done to connect the NHS and social care.

The white paper calls for integration to tackle these issues, proposing a unified “village-of-care” model that brings together both health and social care systems into a patient-centred system. This includes legislation to ensure the Director of Adult Social Care leaders sit on NHS boards and to transfer more acute and chronic conditions to community care.

The paper also exposes often overlooked issues in social care, such as the long travel times endured by home care workers, who make up 43% of the workforce. It highlights how extended travel between clients reduces their overall pay, as local authorities only compensate for a few minutes of travel per visit. The paper suggests a new framework where providers form local consortiums to cut travel times and improve staff retention, with potential for nationwide implementation. Finally, the paper suggests solutions for the five million unpaid carers in society.

Max Parmentier, CEO and co-founder of Birdie, said: “Social care is one of the most important pillars of our society and economy.

“Although the sector has come a long way, we still face severe challenges, with over 400,000 people awaiting assessment to start being cared for and a significant funding gap to sustain the level of current care delivery in the community.

“The Darzi report highlights the role of social care in transforming our health and care system. Every day, I meet social care leaders expressing their deep commitment to improving our system – they’re ready to help.

“This white paper reflects their dedication, shaped by extensive input from sector leaders, and presents a range of low-cost, high-impact reforms that the new government can implement before the end of the year.

“We hope these recommendations will drive meaningful progress and result in visible changes in the autumn budget alongside Darzi report recommendations so we can ensure ongoing sector progress in the NHS and in social care.”

Rachael Crook, CEO and co-founder of Lifted, said: “In social care, we are used to solving problems. The social care leaders we interviewed are committed, resilient and passionate about supporting carers and families across the country. And yet, we know we must do more with less. 

“We have brought together the best of the sector to present innovative, practical, low-cost solutions that can be implemented by the Labour government now. They have already indicated they are open to change and are prioritising this sector to establish a care system we can all be proud of.”

Co-signatories of the white paper include:

• Martin Jones – CEO, Home Instead
• Darren Stapelberg – CEO, Grosvenor Health & Social Care
• Camille Leavold – CEO, Abbots Care
• Lucy Campbell – CEO, Right at Home
• James Townsend – CEO, Mobilise
• Sam Hussain – CEO, Log my Care