On 3 January the UK government announced an independent commission on adult social care. Led by Louise Casey, the new commission has the potential to truly fix the social care system once and for all. However, the commission’s work will be in two stages, with the second stage not due to conclude until 2028, leading some to ask whether it risks kicking this important issue into the long grass. Major reform of social care is something that successive governments have attempted but not achieved. The Health and Social Care Committee has now launched an inquiry into the costs of this inaction. After years of discussion, debate and dithering, this begins to feel more like a problem of political will and implementation than a problem of ideas. We must now start asking ourselves whether the concept of “reform” is in itself a barrier to change. Because social care reform is inevitable, does it stop us reaching for more tangible policy solutions that immediately improve people’s lives?
Dementia training for the care workforce is one of those solutions. A new report from Alzheimer’s Society, “Because We’re Human Too”, highlights the clear need for social care training. In England, guidance from both the Care Quality Commission and NICE says care staff should have appropriate training to deliver quality care. Yet only 29 per cent undertake any kind of dementia training and less than half (44 per cent) of people living with dementia and their carers rate care staff’s understanding of dementia positively. The report also sets out the real benefits of high-quality dementia training for individuals with dementia and their carers, for the care workers who look after them, for care providers, and for the wider health and social care system. These benefits translate into cost savings to the health and care system of £2,000 per care home, per year, through reductions in the need for primary, hospital, emergency and community health care. Of course, dementia training is not a silver bullet, and the need for reform will not get any less urgent. But, as well as making an immediate difference, it would also make progress with some of the knottier problems that wider reforms need to address. For example, high-quality training can improve retention and reduce turnover. Skills for Care data in England shows social care staff who receive regular training in their role have a lower turnover rate (31.6 per cent) than those who do not (40.6 per cent), with learning and development noted as one of the top three retention factors.
