Sally Warren, Director of Policy at The King's Fund, commented on the Care Quality Commission's annual State of care report
‘This comprehensive report reveals the sad reality that the quality of care that patients need and deserve is not being met in many parts of the NHS and social care. The analysis makes it painfully clear that inequality in access to care and in health outcomes is still rife.
‘Public satisfaction with the NHS is at a record low. Despite this, and despite signs that some people are paying for care out of their own pocket while others simply go without, public support for the founding principle of NHS services being free at the point of use remains rock solid. History has shown us that a slow slide towards a two-tier health service can be avoided through a concerted effort to bring down NHS waiting lists, led and funded by government.
‘The challenges in social care are in many ways more acute. More people are requesting social care support but fewer people are getting it, local authorities can't afford to pay providers for the quality services that are required, and public satisfaction has slumped to desperately low levels. The current model of social care in England is not fit for purpose and reform is long overdue.
‘The report shows the multiple crises the government will have to address if it wants to get health and care services back on track. Achieving that will require bold action to prevent illness, measures to make health and care a more attractive career, and bolstering out-of-hospital care such as GP, community and social care services.
‘The report also highlights key areas where leaders across the NHS need to take action to ensure an equitable, fair and compassionate culture across their local teams, organisations and systems. Examples stretching from racial stereotypes in maternity care, or inappropriately restraining patients in mental health settings, show that leaders have work to do to create a culture focused on ensuring teams are enabled to treat all patients with care, compassion, dignity and fairness.'