Health and care minister Wes Streeting took to the stage at the Labour Party Conference this week to address issues in the sector.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care emphasised the need to address the social care crisis, while also discussing the concept of a Fair Pay Agreement.

Now, two of the sector’s biggest names have responded.

Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, said: “It is encouraging to see the government recognise the urgent need to address the challenges in social care. However, it is crucial to understand that social care cannot merely be viewed as a mechanism for alleviating pressure on the NHS; it deserves dedicated attention and investment in its own right.

“The comments made by the secretary of state will go a long way towards creating a transformed social care sector. With confirmation that he and the Deputy Prime Minister will deliver a new deal for care professionals in the form of the Fair Pay Agreement to improve pay and conditions, we are hopeful that the government recognises that such ambitions should be more than lip service.

“To truly effect change, the Fair Pay Agreement must be accompanied by a detailed and realistic funding plan. Without it, there is a significant risk that our ambitions for fairer pay and better conditions could fall short, perpetuating the very issues we seek to resolve.”

Streeting’s speech follows Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s poignant anecdote about his sister’s role as a carer, he used to highlight the invaluable contributions of the care workforce.

Green continued: “The Prime Minister’s heartfelt acknowledgment of his sister’s work as a care worker during the pandemic resonates deeply with all of us in the sector. It’s a powerful reminder of the essential role that care workers play in our society – often underappreciated, yet undeniably vital.

“We wholeheartedly agree that those who provide care should command the same respect as leaders in any field. The dedication and sacrifice of our care workforce must be met with recognition, not only in words but through tangible support and fair, government-funded pay.

“As we move forward, we are excited to collaborate with the government and partners to build a resilient social care system that embodies our shared values of dignity and respect, ensuring the sector not only meets current challenges but thrives in the long term.”

In addition, Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: “The health and social care secretary is absolutely right that there needs to be an honest diagnosis of the problems facing the NHS before we can begin to address them. Healthcare leaders recognise and accept many of the issues raised in Lord Darzi’s recent report and look forward to working with the government to address them.

“But while the public deserves honesty about where the NHS needs extra support, every effort must be made to avoid creating an atmosphere where patients are put off accessing care, people do not want to work in the health service, or existing staff feel the government does not value their hard work. Key to this is celebrating the excellent care that the NHS is delivering, as well as that change is both possible and on the horizon through the government’s anticipated 10-year plan backed by additional investment.

“We also welcome the commitment to a new pay deal for social care workers. Improving their pay and conditions is a good first step to boosting staff numbers and improving retention.

“Healthcare leaders agree that a healthy NHS is vital to both a healthy nation and a productive economy and will therefore welcome the government pledging more support to NHS trusts in areas where there are the highest levels of sickness absence. As our recent analysis with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) shows, reintegrating people who have dropped out of the workforce for reasons of ill health back to work could provide a huge boost to the UK’s GDP and unlock billions in fiscal revenue.

“While we look forward to understanding what this announcement will mean in practice, it is clear that NHS services won’t need help to simply learn from the best but they will need additional investment and the space to put this into practice too.

“With a challenging winter period on the horizon, the government will need to use its Autumn Budget to address the NHS’s short-term deficit of at least £2.2 billion as this is leading to local organisations either cutting or freezing posts, and to services halting or scaling back their transformation projects in order to respond to their immediate pressures.”