King’s Speech: Sir Keir Starmer urged to ‘be bold’ and take inspiration from Nye Bevan to tackle social care crisis

Not all of Labour’s proposed social care reforms are expected to be announced in the King’s Speech, with Health Secretary Wes Streeting thought to be favouring a cross-party review through a Royal Commission.

In its manifesto, Labour promised both a fair pay deal for social care workers and a National Care Service.

Mike Padgham, who runs Saint Cecilia’s Care Group in Scarborough, told the Yorkshire Post: “I want to give the new government the benefit of the doubt, they’ve only been in office for a few days, but I want them to be a bit bolder on social care.

“To my mind if they want to make the NHS work better, they’ve got to tackle social care at the same time.

“I hope that they will rethink and get on with it quicker.

“We’re in a critical position now and we haven’t got time to waste.”

Mr Padgham, who also represents the Independent Care Group, said he remembered when Tony Blair set up a Royal Commission on social care in 1997.

“Here we are all those years later and we still haven’t moved on,” he said.

“I think they’ve got such a large majority, now is the time to sort it and be bold.

“It was like Nye Bevan in 1948 - we need to be as bold as he was because we need to get change done.

“They were voted in on change - social care has been in decline for three decades, if they want to change now is the time.”

Mr Padgham backed both Labour’s key policies of introducing a National Care Service and improving staff pay.

“It’s a highly skilled job, well respected, it needs to have that status,” he added.

“We need to have registered care workers that are on par with registered nurses in the NHS.”

Melanie Williams, President of ADASS, a care staff membership group, said: “The next government must have the courage to commit to a long-term, fully funded solution for social care and shift from short-term crisis management, especially during winter, to more care at home in the long term.

“Care at home is better for all involved, but also makes more financial sense.”

While Unison, the union which represents social care workers, urged the government to introduce a fair pay deal in the King’s Speech.

Gavin Edwards said: “Social care is a broken system, unable to provide support to all those who need it.

“This is putting families under immeasurable strain and, in many cases, leaving the NHS to pick up the pieces.

“The main problem is a lack of staff and resources. The hope is that plans for a new fair pay agreement to boost wage rates in care will feature in the King's Speech.

“Once this is in place, the sector's recruitment problems should ease and the first steps towards a national care service will have been taken.”

The Prime Minister promised the King’s Speech will unlock growth and improve living standards for working people.

“Now is the time to take the brakes off Britain. For too long people have been held back, their paths determined by where they came from - not their talents and hard work.

“I am determined to create wealth for people up and down the country. It is the only way our country can progress, and my government is focussed on supporting that aspiration.

“Today’s new laws will take back control and lay the foundations of real change that this country is crying out for, creating wealth in every community and making people better off - supporting their ambitions, hopes and dreams.”