Just how far does social care extend – and can it be sustained?

When most of us think of social care recipients, we’re likely to picture elderly people, often with dementia, or individuals with disabilities. But, in reality, our social care system has a much wider reach. 

The NHS has long been credited with providing care for everyone in poor health. But medical treatment for a range of chronic conditions is often time-limited.

That’s where the social care system comes into its own by providing invaluable ongoing care and support to thousands of people who depend on it daily. 

Let’s take a look at three of its lesser-known roles.

1. Mental health support

Everything from supporting people with depression to combating loneliness among the elderly can be covered by the social care system.

Statistics show that one in four of the UK population experiences a mental health problem each year. At the same time, government figures suggest that just one in eight of those with a mental health condition receives treatment.

That’s unsurprising when you consider that repeated cuts have left mental health trusts with less money in real terms than in 2012, according to a 2018 analysis by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Everything from supporting people with depression to combating loneliness among the elderly can be covered by the social care system.

As a result, responsibility for many mental health services has been transferred from the NHS to the social care system, via local government. 

How social care helps

Under the Care Act 2014, the social care system must assess the care and support requirements of anyone with a mental health condition. 

Once their needs have been identified, people can be given the services they require to safeguard their wellbeing and independence. 

Such services may include support with housing and employment, home adaptations, assistance with daily living and leisure activities, and counselling.

2. Brain and spinal injury recovery

Recovery after a brain and/or spinal injury is often long and expensive. Such traumatic injuries not only call for acute care, they also require rehabilitation to help get someone to their best level of physical and mental functioning.

NICE guidelines suggest that in England alone, 45,000 people per year are affected by very severe or major trauma such as a brain or spinal injury. With each requiring intensive, ongoing specialist care, looking after such patients is a huge, and vital, undertaking. 

During the acute rehabilitation stage, the NHS provides the necessary medical care. However, after discharge the social care system should provide ongoing support, as stated in the NHS England’s Standard Contract for Specialised Rehabilitation for Patients with Highly Complex Needs.

How social care helps

Because the nervous system is in charge of physical, mental and emotional functioning, rehabilitation programmes for brain and spinal injuries must be comprehensive in nature to be effective. 

This means combining physical therapies, skill-building activities and emotional therapies such as counselling to make sure patients have the full spectrum of support needed to regain as much independence as possible. 

This support often includes residential care, home modifications and/or at-home assistance. Patients who regain enough of their previous functioning to get back to work or education usually need additional help from social services to start earning or studying again. 

Social care helps in all these areas using a wide range of professionals such as social workers, occupational therapists, technicians, community support workers, counsellors, activities coordinators and care workers. 

3. Stroke survivors

There are over 100,000 strokes in the UK each year, according to the Stroke Association. While it can be fatal, many survive. In fact, there are more than 1.2 million stroke survivors in the UK at present.

A stroke can seriously impact every aspect of a person’s normal functioning. Indeed, the Stroke Association estimates that two-thirds of stroke survivors leave hospital with a disability while one-third go on to develop depression. 

As these figures demonstrate, even after leaving hospital, most stroke patients need ongoing physical and/or emotional support to maximise their functioning, manage new physical and mental conditions, and come to terms with their level of function. 

Even after leaving hospital, most stroke patients need ongoing physical and/or emotional support.

It is the social care system that takes the lead with providing this support.

How social care helps

The latest figures show that in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 84% of stroke survivors leave hospital requiring help with their daily living activities. From leg and arm weakness to eyesight problems and incontinence, a stroke can leave a person heavily reliant on care in the community. 

This begins with residential care until someone gains enough independence to return home. 

However, this is just one of many ways in which stroke survivors are supported by the care system.

At one end of the spectrum lies the practical support for which social services are best known: at-home care and modifications, such as the installation of stair and bath lifts. At the other end, more specialised support services aim to restore the patient’s previous functioning. This can include speech therapy, physiotherapy and psychotherapy.

In short, while strokes are medical conditions, the rehabilitation process extends far beyond a person’s medical treatment.

Addressing misconceptions to achieve change

While social care certainly involves supporting people with dementia and physical disabilities, this is just a part of its role. There is also a common misconception that the social care system consists mainly of low-skilled workers. But it takes highly qualified professionals to deliver the multi-faceted and highly specialised level of care required to meet its recipients’ complex needs.

Sadly, these professionals, who include occupational therapists, registered nurses and psychotherapists, are grossly underpaid for the work they do. This is threatening the future of the social care system in the UK. 

The only way to ensure the continuation of the crucial role the social care system plays is for all of us to recognise and support the vital work of its highly skilled professionals.