Yvonne Fovargue MP: Social care reforms are needed

As both Age UK and the Health and Social Care Select Committee highlight, workforce shortages are the primary issue facing our health and social care services, with more than 150,000 vacancies at present.

The Select Committee said the Government has shown a “marked reluctance to act decisively.” I am worried that staff are being left to pick up the pieces of a system that has been neglected.

Despite repeated promises to fix social care, the Chancellor has delayed reforms for two years and is instead asking councils to increase taxes on working people to plug funding gaps.

In my view, we need to put social care at the heart of a modernised welfare state as an essential part of our economic infrastructure. I support a long-term plan for reform to put social care on an equal footing with the NHS, improve access and ensure every older and disabled person gets the right support when and where they need it.

For me, this means building towards a National Care Service, locally delivered but underpinned by high national standards. We need to end the workforce crisis, recruiting and retaining more social care workers by introducing better rights at work, decent standards, fair pay and proper training with opportunity for progression.

We must also recognise and support the work of unpaid carers, prioritising their wellbeing. Carers UK estimates that an additional 4.5 million people have taken on caring responsibilities following the pandemic. Unpaid carers have gone above and beyond, many without access to respite breaks or support.

We must do better. We can start by providing access to proper respite breaks, the right to request flexible working and ensuring carer’s assessments are promoted and identify the needs of carers.

At its best, social care can enable people to live flourishing, independent lives. But this is far from the reality. I will continue to call for reforms that improve the quality and standards of social care for everyone.

Earlier this year, I was pleased that the campaign by the postal workers union, the CWU led to Royal Mail deciding to maintain the current estate of Customer Service Points (CSPs).

However, I note that Royal Mail has now reduced the opening hours of around half of CSPs. I appreciate the concerns that have been raised on this issue by constituents, including, for example, that Royal Mail could use a reduction in the number of people using CSPs to justify their closure in future.

I share concerns about the management of Royal Mail. I believe it is worrying that last year, Royal Mail’s board led the company to losses of £1 million a day, just six months after reporting huge profits and paying out £567 million in dividends and a share buyback. I also worry that Royal Mail has asked Government to cut Saturday letter deliveries from the universal service obligation. The Government needs to launch an inquiry into the management of Royal Mail and the risks facing the service.

Royal Mail is a cherished institution and its staff are essential workers. We must ensure it has a successful future.