This month’s session spotlight will focus on a panel discussion delivered by Nadra Ahmed, George Appleton, Karolina Gerlich, and Vic Rayner, in our Care Keynote Theatre at Care Show Birmingham 2024.

Meet the speakers

Nadra has been involved in the field of social care for over 40 years. Her background is in training and education, which has been the passion that drives her towards quality services, underpinned and provided by a skilled and valued workforce.

She has been the Chairman of National Care Association (NCA) since 2001 and a member of several Government advisory committees in the DHSC including at ministerial level and government taskforces.

George is the Head of External Affairs at the Social Institute for Excellence (SCIE). He oversees the organisation's strategic approach to communications and influencing, using the evidence from SCIE's research and improvement programmes to inform social care policy at a local and national level. Before joining SCIE, George was the Head of Policy at Care England wherein he led the organisation's policy work driving improved outcomes for care providers across England.

Karolina, as CEO of The Care Workers' Charity (CWC), is a strong advocate for the rights and well-being of care workers. With over 12 years of first-hand experience as a care worker and more than 8 years dedicated to advocacy in the field, Karolina tirelessly works for the recognition of care workers as skilled professionals to ensure they receive the support they deserve. Serving on multiple advisory boards and holding a position on the Leadership Board for the Impact Centre, Karolina continues to lead the charge for positive change within the care sector.

Professor Vic Rayner OBE is CEO of the National Care Forum (NCF), having joined the organisation in 2016. Vic chairs the government national workforce advisory group, and the National Social Care Advisory Group on social care and technology and has been at the forefront of promoting digital transformation across care. She sits on a range of government and national specialist groups with a focus on the social care workforce, digital transformation, new models of care and regulation. Now incoming chair of the Global Ageing Network, she was awarded an Hon. Professorship in Health Sciences by City University, working closely with the My Home Life programme and the wider University agenda around ageing and care. Vic was awarded an OBE for services to social care in 2021.

The session, led by George, centred on the election of a Labour government in July, and explored challenges and opportunities as the sector stands at the cusp of potential transformation. Key discussion points included workforce recruitment and retention, funding constraints, regulatory issues, and rising care demands driven by an aging population. Panellists shared their perspectives on Labour's early promises, particularly the idea of a National Care Service and the Fair Pay Agreement, alongside broader structural and systemic issues. 

Labour’s vision and early actions 

The panel began by reflecting on Labour’s commitment to a National Care Service. While the concept was central to Labour’s platform, tangible progress remains limited, with plans projected for later parliamentary terms. Nadra highlighted the urgency of immediate action, given the underfunded state of the sector. The need for collaborative frameworks between the NHS and social care was emphasised as a crucial starting point for addressing the workforce crisis and improving service quality. 

Vic expressed cautious optimism, noting the mention of social care during Labour's party conference as a hopeful sign. She linked initiatives like the Fair Pay Agreement to the possibility of creating a framework for sustainable reform. However, she also pointed out the lack of clarity and infrastructure to support the envisioned changes, emphasising the need for a stronger national structure akin to NHS England for social care. 

Workforce challenges and Fair Pay 

Karolina shed light on the workforce crisis, discussing how inadequate pay and lack of career pathways contribute to staff leaving for better-paying, less demanding jobs. She stressed that any Fair Pay Agreement must ensure wages reflect the responsibilities and skills of care workers without financially jeopardising care providers. Collaboration with care workers in shaping these policies was deemed essential. 

The discussion also touched on the implications of Labour’s decision to cut funding for social care training. Panellists criticised the move as short-sighted and demoralising for the workforce, especially given the increasing clinical responsibilities delegated to care workers. Karolina called for renewed focus on structured career development and pay differentiation to attract and retain talent in the sector. 

The role of a Royal Commission 

Addressing the possibility of a Royal Commission on social care, Vic and Nadra offered differing perspectives. While acknowledging its potential as a platform for public engagement, Vic expressed concerns that such initiatives often focus on problems rather than actionable solutions. Nadra stressed the need for any commission to take a comprehensive view of social care, encompassing services for all demographics, from children to older adults, and addressing systemic issues like international recruitment and workforce image. 

However, both panellists underscored the wealth of existing reports and recommendations, advocating for revisiting past findings to inform future strategies. They also highlighted the importance of funding commitments and the challenge of balancing the diverse needs within the social care spectrum. 

Structural barriers and systemic inequities 

The session then delved into structural challenges facing the social care sector. Vic highlighted the fragmented nature of the sector, with over 18,000 employers complicating efforts to standardise pay and conditions. She also discussed the erosion of preventative services due to austerity measures, which has led to higher care needs and greater isolation among service users. 

Poor housing stock, fragile tenancies, and regional inequities in care availability were identified as compounding factors. Vic emphasised that funding mechanisms like council tax uplifts fail to address disparities, particularly in areas with significant health and care inequities. She called for a focus on prevention and community-based support to alleviate pressure on acute care services. 

What next?

Despite the challenges, the panellists agreed on the importance of leveraging Labour’s majority to push for meaningful reform. Karolina advocated for integrating care workers into policy discussions to ensure practical and effective solutions. Nadra stressed the importance of addressing root causes, from workforce conditions to public perceptions of social care, while maintaining focus on the sector's diverse needs. 

The session concluded with a call to action for greater investment, collaboration, and structural reform. As George summarised, the future of social care hinges on a shared vision for sustainability and equity, with stakeholders at all levels playing a critical role in shaping its trajectory.