CQC's 2023/24 State of Care Report: What you need to know

The latest CQC State of Care report is a stark reminder of the urgent issues affecting adult social care, especially for people with learning disabilities and autistic people. There’s a call here for real ownership and action from all of us working within and alongside the sector.

The report emphasises pressing gaps in the workforce, financial strain, and slow progress towards community-based care solutions – issues that directly impact both the quality of care and people’s lives.

Key Reflections:

1. Workforce Struggles: Despite recent efforts, including recruiting international workers, high turnover continues, making it difficult to maintain a stable workforce in social care. We need more investment in staff, especially those with the skills to support people who have acquired challenging reputations over time, to ensure reliable, consistent care.
2. Barriers to Discharge and Limited Community Care Options: People with learning disabilities and autistic people often face long inpatient stays, with some spending over two years in institutional settings. This is largely due to the lack of community-based care options, which makes effective discharge and sustainable community support incredibly difficult.
3. Health Inequalities and Unequal Access: There are serious inequalities in care quality, particularly in more deprived areas where people often depend on state funding. This affects access to consistent, high-quality support, highlighting the need for more equitable allocation of resources across regions.
4. Financial Pressures: Rising costs and limited funding are reducing the sector’s capacity to improve services and expand access. Many providers find it hard to maintain quality, let alone innovate, with current budgets.
5. Taking Care of Our Own Teams: It’s essential to look after our staff to retain them and boost their motivation. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a useful framework here – by meeting our team’s fundamental needs for fair pay, safety, and a sense of belonging, we’re not only supporting their well-being but also building a healthier, more engaged workforce. The result? Better care.

Practical Actions We Can Take:

This report is a call to act on what we can directly influence, and here are some tangible steps we can all own:

1. Advocate for Sector Investment: Push for policy changes that recognise social care as essential and deserving of sustainable funding. Consistent investment can make a real difference in service quality and accessibility.
2. Promote Community-Based Care Options: Advocate for more inclusive, community-based support settings that let people live more independently and reduce reliance on long-term inpatient care.
3. Focus on Workforce Development: Attract, train, and retain skilled staff who understand and can meet the needs of people with learning disabilities and autism. Embracing Maslow’s hierarchy to support them across all levels can lead to more dedicated, fulfilled professionals who want to stay in the sector.
4. Challenge Health Inequities: Stand up against disparities in care and support initiatives that make access more equitable, especially for vulnerable populations who are most affected by funding gaps.

We have a long road ahead - but we can keep pushing together.

Let's go.

Love,

Ash x