Care Association Alliance

✨ If you have loved ones who need care services, watch this. ✨If carers support you, watch this. ✨If you work in care, watch this. ✨ If you commission care, watch this. ✨ If you care about vulnerable people in society, watch this. We need everyone to pay attention and stand together today, and tomorrow, to fight for social care services in Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton. It was excellent to see such momentum building today around the Providers Unite campaign. National and regional media have covered this story all day and MPs supported the action. How do we keep this on the news agenda and keep the positive momentum going? #ProvidersUnite #SocialCare #NHS #Hampshire ITV ITV Studios Danny Chambers Liz Blacklock

Well, just drawn breath from yesterday's inspiring day of action in Westminster. I've set up our weekly newsletter with some great images which will be on the Oxfordshire Association of Care Providers (OACP) channel at 3pm. Along with others I am grateful to the immense work by Nadra Ahmed CBE DL 💚, 💚Victoria Buyer, Katrina Hall and the many other unseen people who organised the event. Thanks also to Birdie for delivering the hospitality at Church House. Many people who came yesterday had never been on a march before. Many people supported people who use services or accompanied family members. This added to the sense of this event breaking ground - the very first national day of action, prompted by generational lack of action by government after government. Let's say it again, the impact of these eNICs increases will badly impact care organisations and people that they support. In conversations I had during the day, I heard that providers are already closing down preventative services. Small, but multiple cuts, which will cumulate in less care, less responsive care and, because it seems to be the only thing that cuts through to Government, longer waiting lists in NHS hospitals and more pressure on primary care. I took heart from the representation from across the UK. this is truly a Providers Unite movement and we must not let up. Lastly, my prize for the best banner goes to the Lion King fan. 👏

My thoughts on today's Day of Action by Providers Unite...

Value Social Care: Why Tuesday 25 February 2025 Matters for Millions? A Pivotal Moment for Social Care: Today, we stand at a critical crossroads for social care within our communities. Thousands of care and support providers, some accompanied by recipients of care, are joining us in a coordinated Day of Action centred in Westminster and simultaneously from multiple locations around the country. The Providers Unite Picnic is more than just a date on the calendar; it is a call to action, a moment to recognize, affirm and value the essential role of social care in our society. Millions of individuals, carers, service users, families, and communities depend on a system that has long been undervalued and underfunded. This must change to ensure that we have a system that is fit for the future. We are an integral part of the care and health offer alongside our NHS and Local Government partners. However, since the late 1980s, successive governments have ignored social care and provided inadequate investment to meet the demand for safe and happy lives of millions. It's time for real change. 💚 As part of our #ValueSocialCare campaign, we are calling on the government to engage in a meaningful dialogue with us about the impact of the October 2024 measures, alongside urgent reforms to ensure fair pay, better working conditions, and sustainable investment in care services. 1.6 million social care and support workers provide essential support to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, yet their contributions often go unnoticed and unrewarded. Why Providers Unite has created 25 Feb Day of Action: 1. To explain to central government that Social Care deserves Recognition & Respect. Social care is an essential support to our society, ensuring dignity and independence for those in need. It is time for policymakers to acknowledge its true value. 2. To call for Fair Pay for Social Care Workers Now! Our incredible social care workforce deserves the fair pay and recognition they have long been denied. With 5.8% of the working population dedicated to social care - more than in the NHS, it's time their wages reflect their skill, dedication, and the essential nature of their work. These professionals are the backbone of our communities, yet they are still treated as second-class workers. 3. To highlight the need for Sustainable Funding for Community Care and Support Services. Millions rely on community care and support services every day, but without proper investment, these essential services are at risk. Rising costs and changes to Employers' National Insurance contributions threaten access to quality care for countless individuals. We cannot let vulnerable people be left without support. It’s time for real commitment to Value Social Care. Invest in community care now to protect lives and futures. We urge the public to stand with us and demand meaningful change. The future of our care system and the well-being of millions depends on it.

We support the Providers Unite day of action today as we feel it’s important to send a plain message to Government.    What’s the problem?  The adult social care sector is at risk of collapse.  Changes to Employers’ National Insurance Contributions have come after years of underfunding and a sustained increase in care need and complexity.    Who’s affected?  The vulnerable people who use care services, the social care workforce, family members caring for their loved ones, and hard-working small businesses are all facing an unacceptable level of risk.    What can be done?  We need urgent funding and reform to save social care now.    

✨Just a reminder about the fantastic series of events from Microsoft starting next week for women in health & social care. TechHer for Health and Social Care is a free, five-week initiative designed to inspire and build confidence in technology. These sessions are tailored for women working in the NHS, health services, or social care and especially those without a technical background who want to explore how technology can transform their work. Topics include cloud computing, artificial intelligence, Power BI, security, and low-code/no-code app creation. 🔗Registration for the events here: https://loom.ly/DPcVLGQ

AI (artificial intelligence) is everywhere these days, and social care is no exception. But with new technology comes big questions: How do we use AI in a way that actually helps people using and providing care? How do we make sure it is safe, fair, and actually useful? That is exactly what the Digital Care Hub, the Institute for Ethics in AI at Oxford University, and Daniel Casson💚 have teamed up to figure out. Together, we are working on a project to ensure AI is developed collaboratively and used responsibly in adult social care. In February 2024, we brought together over 30 organisations and individuals to discuss the benefits and risks of using generative AI in social care. This summit, held at Oxford University, resulted in the Oxford Statement on the responsible use of generative AI in social care. This statement outlines what the sector wants in order to safely use AI in our sector. Over the last year the collaborative has expanded and now involves over 50 organisations working together. To guide and support our work, we have established a sector-wide Steering Committee, a Co-Production Group and a range of working groups focused on specific tasks. As well as the Oxford statement, the collaborative has also published: - Ethical principles for the use of AI in social care - Care Workers’ Guidance and Statement: - Better choices, more control? Principles and priorities for the responsible use of Generative AI in care and support COMING SOON AI in Social Care Summit at Oxford University -There are some limited places available at the event on 27 March. This public-facing day will be attended by members of the public, academia, policy, civil society and international guests. Our working groups will also be publishing a range of new resources including: - A revised ethical framework (due end of March 2025) - A software provider pledge (due end of March 2025) - Guidance for care providers planning to implement AI (due February 2025) Find out more: https://loom.ly/c6xmm4Y Katie Thorn Michelle Corrigan Caroline Emmer De Albuquerque Green, PhD Think Local Act Personal (TLAP) Donald Macaskill @NationalCareForum techUK @TheCareWorkersCharity #AIinSocialCare

We have published a response to the BBC's news coverage of the the pressures facing the health service this winter.

Standing United for the Future of Social Care✊ This is not just about numbers, it’s about real people. At Providers Unite, we are advocating for a system where everyone has access to the support they need when they need it. Let’s make the case for social care: ✅ Social care generates wellbeing. It keeps people healthy and independent, and reduces the pressure on NHS services. ✅ Investment in social care helps keep people safe in their homes and stops the cycle of hospital readmissions. Without that investment, more people will be left without vital support. ✅ We need better workforce support, the system is dependent on carers, yet only 2% of unpaid carers receive financial support from local authorities. We know social care works. It transforms lives, but the system is under threat if we don’t take action. Let’s ensure that social care gets the investment it deserves so that everyone can benefit. 💚We need your voice. Stand with us on the 25th February! RSVP by tomorrow at 5pm Here: https://lnkd.in/edQGWqAH #ProvidersUnite #CareCannotWait #NICSSolutionNow Care England The Care Provider Alliance Local Government Association Katrina Hall The Care Provider Alliance Nadra Ahmed CBE DL 💚 National Care Association Independent Care Group The National Autistic Society ARC England; Association for Real Change ARCO (Associated Retirement Community Operators) Homecare Association The Rt. Hon. Wes Streeting MP Stephen Kinnock Rt Hon Rachel Reeves Local Government Association Shared Lives Plus National Care Forum Association of Mental Health Providers

We support the Providers Unite day of action on 25th February as we feel it’s important to send a plain message to Government.    𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺?  The adult social care sector is at risk of collapse.  Changes to Employers’ National Insurance Contributions have come after years of underfunding and a sustained increase in care need and complexity. 𝗪𝗵𝗼’𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱?  The vulnerable people who use care services, the social care workforce, family members caring for their loved ones, and hard-working small businesses are all facing an unacceptable level of risk. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲?  We need urgent funding and reform to 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄.