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Councils must attract more investors to shape their local social care market, according to a new Commission for Social Care Inspection report. The report, Safe as Houses? What drives investment in social care, published this week found that by taking the lead in attracting investment to social care services councils could develop a social care market that meets the needs of all in their area. At present, according to the report, it is ‘difficult' to see how care services can be truly personalised if councils carry on as they are. This goes against the ‘personalised agenda', which was set out in the Department of Health's 2005 White Paper Our health, our care, our say. Funding pressures on councils will continue to grow with increasing numbers of older people with social care needs and an increasing number of people with dementia. The Wanless report released last year predicted that, over the next 20 years, there would be a 54% increase in the number of people with high levels of social care needs. Referring to this, the new CSCI report states that regardless of future state funding and individual contributions for care, ‘it is evident that for personalised care to be made a reality, current ways of commissioning services will need to change.' Commenting on the report Dame Denise Platt, CSCI chair, said: ‘We've found that providers often rely on councils for contracts. Therefore, councils need to signal the need for new care services that are personalised and really meet the needs of people. Where councils lead investors will follow.' ‘We need investors to look further a field than the ‘safe' models of care, to really open up the opportunities for all those who use care services now and for the future.'

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BUSINESS

Councils told to boost market for care services

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