Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a funded domestic adult social care workforce plan, in the context of levels of (a) demand for NHS services and (b) recent trends in healthy life expectancy in local areas.

Decisions regarding any potential workforce plan publication for social care remain under consideration and no final position has been reached. In line with the manifesto, the Department is committed to ensuring the publication of regular, independent workforce planning, across health and social care.

Social care makes an important contribution to managing demand for services in the National Health Service, and care workers are essential to those who draw on care and support, helping them maintain their quality of life, independence and connection to the things that matter to them. Care workers deserve to be recognised and supported for the important work they do.

That is why the Department is supporting the Adult Social Care workforce by improving terms and conditions through introducing a new Fair Pay Agreement backed by £500 million funding to improve pay and conditions for the adult social care workforce, as well as supporting career development and progression by implementing the first ever career structure and investing up to £10 million in training and qualifications.