The state of health and social care nationally
The independent regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), produces an annual assessment of health care and adult social care. The latest national report[1], published in November 2022, highlighted the following trends:
- The health and social care system is gridlocked – this is clearly having a huge negative impact on people’s experiences of care.
- People are struggling to access care – many people are still waiting for the health and social care support and treatment they need, and many are waiting too long.
- Inequalities pervade and persist across large parts of health and social care. It is vital that everyone, inclusively, has good quality care, and equal access, experience and outcomes from health and social care services.
- Depleted workforce – across all health and social care services, providers are struggling desperately to recruit and retain staff with the right skills and in the right numbers to meet the increasing needs of people in their care. Despite their efforts, in many cases providers are losing this battle, as staff are drawn to industries with higher pay and less stressful conditions.
- Challenges and opportunities in local systems – understanding the health and care needs of local people is paramount for integrated care systems, as is the need to maintain and develop the required workforce.