- West Sussex Labour Group Leader Martin McCabe has welcomed the Government's renewed commitment to reforming adult social care, saying councils must be at the heart of creating a system that works for residents, families and care workers.
- The Government has announced plans to accelerate reform of adult social care, including bringing forward Baroness Louise Casey's independent review, improving pay and career progression for care workers, and seeking cross-party agreement on the long-term future of social care.
- Cllr Martin McCabe stated: "For far too long, adult social care has been an issue that governments of different colours have struggled to resolve. I welcome the renewed determination to tackle it properly and, crucially, to build the consensus needed to make reform last."
- Baroness Casey has announced plans for a national "Big Conversation" with the public about the difficult choices involved in improving adult social care in England.
- Cllr McCabe emphasized that for people who rely on social care, their families, and care workers, this is about living with dignity and being properly valued for their work.
- Cllr McCabe noted that the public conversation would be an important opportunity to ensure that reform reflects the experiences of people who use care and support services, their families and the workforce.
- Cllr McCabe believes that if a genuine cross-party and public consensus is built, and councils are put at the heart of the process, there is an opportunity to create a system fit for the future.
West Sussex Labour leader Martin McCabe has welcomed the government's renewed commitment to reform adult social care, stating that councils must be central to creating a system that benefits residents, families, and care workers.1
The government plans to accelerate reforms, including Baroness Louise Casey's independent review, which aims to improve pay and career progression for care workers while seeking cross-party agreement on the long-term future of social care.2
Cllr McCabe remarked, "For far too long, adult social care has been an issue that governments of different colours have struggled to resolve. I welcome the renewed determination to tackle it properly and, crucially, to build the consensus needed to make reform last." He emphasized that for those relying on social care, it is not merely a policy debate but a matter of dignity and support for families.
Baroness Casey's initiative, the national 'Big Conversation', aims to engage the public in discussions about the challenges of improving adult social care in England. Cllr McCabe noted that this conversation is vital to ensure reforms reflect the experiences of care users, their families, and the workforce.
He concluded, "If we can build a genuine cross-party and public consensus, put councils at the heart of the process and properly value the social care workforce, I believe we have an opportunity to finally create a system fit for the future."7
“Cllr McCabe emphasized that for people who rely on social care, their families, and care workers, this is about living with dignity and being properly valued for their work. He believes that building a genuine cross-party consensus could create a system fit for the future.”
