NHS and social care past the tipping point

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) published its ‘State of Care’ report 2017/18 in October and it paints a worrying picture of the state of health and social care in England today.

Two years ago, the CQC report described some regions as approaching a ‘tipping point’ but this year’s report confirms that in some areas the tipping point has already been reached.

Most worrying are the findings regarding NHS acute care and adult social care. 40% of NHS acute hospitals are rated as ‘requires improvement’ on patient safety. Adult social care was found not providing people the good quality care they need. This has a knock-on effect on the NHS.

AvMA Chief Executive Peter Walsh said:

“This report from the CQC confirms what many patients and families tell us. It is not only that people are greatly inconvenienced – their very safety is being put at risk. We completely agree with the CQC’s conclusion that the Government needs to change the way that services are funded and integrated. More than that, there is an urgent need to invest in patient safety and safer staffing levels in the immediate short term.”