A Government review of health and social care leadership must work closely with local government to utilise councils’ expertise and help inform its recommendations, the LGA has said.
The health and social care leadership review, led by retired General Sir Gordon Messenger, is due to report back to Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid in early 2022.
It will consider how to foster and replicate the best examples of leadership, and to reduce regional disparities in efficiency and health outcomes across the country.
Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said social care is complex, spanning multiple partners across the public, private and voluntary sectors, and faces significant financial and workforce challenges, which have been exacerbated by the pandemic.
“As rewarding as they can be, leadership positions in social care are therefore demanding, challenging, and can be draining, and we are asking more of leaders at a time of significant challenge,” he said.
“There are excellent leaders throughout social care, demonstrating the right culture of compassionate, inclusive and collaborative leadership that is needed for today’s challenges. The right culture is vital to good-quality care and must not be sidelined by a sole focus on efficiency.”
The LGA is calling on the Government to commit a greater share of the new health and social care levy to frontline social care from the outset. It also wants to see new investment in the upcoming Spending Review to stabilise social care and allow local leaders to deliver on efficiency and innovation.