Written evidence submitted by Verity Gibson [ASC 030]

Select Committee Inquiry into Funding of Adult Social Care

1. How has covid-19 changed the landscape for long-term funding reform of the adult social care sector?
2. How should additional funds for the adult social care sector be raised?
3. How can the adult social care market be stabilised?
4. How can the adult social care market be incentivised to compete on quality and/or innovation?

1. The complexity of service providers has highlighted the difficulties of providing a consistent, fairly distributed and adequate standard of care.  For example initially there was a lack and patchy distribution of protective equipment to a sector that is predominantly private. Governments can advise and give guidance but without statutory control it is a post code and market lottery.

There should be a return to greater involvement of Local government and the public sector.

2. Covid-19 has also highlighted the artificial division between a nationally funded Health Care System and Social Care. The one affects the other and vice-versa and should be fully integrated on equal terms.  Funding should come from general taxation and distributed locally with democratic oversight.
3. The concept of a ‘market’ is unacceptable for Adult Social Care services and for all those to vulnerable people. Making profits out of personal ill-health is inconsistent with a modern, wealthy and equal society. Public sector, charitable and not-for profit services should be the norm.
4.      Services of higher quality will be provided when services are regularly

     monitored so that those of poor quality that do not meet a recognised legal

     standard are rapidly exposed and closed with criminal penalties. Where

     services are commissioned there should be regular monitoring. Large

     companies and the private sector do have a role to play in funding innovative

     research but only with low tax incentives.

April 2021