Local government can help build cross-party consensus on the future of adult social care, the LGA has said.
LGA Chair Cllr Eamonn O’Brien has written to the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care offering support with this, with a national conversation on care and with ‘deep dives’ into local areas to explore the realities of delivery.
Commission Chair Baroness Louise Casey announced plans for a ‘big conversation’ on care at the LGA’s annual conference in July, and the initiative is now live (see caseycommission.co.uk/bigconversation).
Cllr O’Brien said: “Building the broadest possible cross-party consensus and public support for change will be essential for adult social care reform to get across the line and stand the test of time.
“Councils’ role as convenors of local people and communities can help maximise input into the Big Conversation. Across the political spectrum, councils with cross-party convening powers already agree on many of the key challenges and priorities.
“Local government is more than a stakeholder in this process; it is a partner and the democratic system through which reform will be led.”
The LGA believes the Government should make the case to the public for a national funding solution for adult social care, and has said that the focus on improving pay and workforce support is a “vital step towards securing long-term sustainability”.
But it has warned that proposed funding is not likely to be sufficient to cover the full cost of a fair pay agreement for the sector, and could jeopardise the supply of care and council finances.