The NHS Confederation has recently published a report that issues a stark warning to the Government about the £2 billion gap in long-term social care funding, saying that a failure to resolve the issue will have a severe impact on patients.
It calls for a cross-party political consensus that addresses both the immediate cash shortfall and the need for a long-term funding solution. Without further action on funding, even the basic social care that we currently expect for the very old may not be available in the future, it says.
While the NHS Confederation has previously backed some short-term use of NHS funds as a necessary sticking plaster, it says that continuing to dip in to the healthcare coffers would be âa shorted-sighted policy of robbing Peter to pay Paul.
It warns that the NHS is already labouring to find unprecedented efficiency savings of up to £5 billion a year. It would be impossible to save an additional £2 billion a year without potentially seriously affecting the care of patients.
The report says that the health and social care system must respond to the needs of a population that is living longer, often with a range of long-term conditions:
- The number of people aged over 65 is projected to grow by 50% over the next 20 years;
- The number of people aged over 90 has risen 21% in the decade from 2001 to 2011;
- The number of people with dementia is set to more than double to 1.7 million by 2050;
- Demand for local authority-funded social care is rising as a result of the economic situation but local authorities face major funding shortfalls.
The reports also says that the Government must implement long- and nearer-term funding solutions and recognise it will not be sustainable to fund this from the NHS:
- The Treasury should find funds for the Dilnot Commission's practical and credible proposals for a long-term solution, estimated to at up to £2.2 billion;
- Politicians, the Government, the NHS and local authorities should be frank about the scale of contributions the public will be liable for in future;
- In addition, a nearer-term funding package is needed that enables investment in services that save money, not just the bailing out of areas in crisis.