The BASW England adult social work group are currently working on a number of areas impacting upon social work and social workers supporting adults. This has included lobbying around and supporting the implementation of the Mental Capacity Amendment Act 2019. The group continue to develop a response to the long awaiting adult social care green paper which has included developing ideas around the future of adult social care. The group have collaboratively developed a number of good practice guides, capability statements and continuing professional development pathways for social work with adults and webinars.
Email liz.howard@basw.co.uk for more information about how to get involved.
Response to the Review of Integrated Care Systems | BASW England
In January 2023 BASW England responded to the Hewitt Review call for evidence into the oversight, governance and accountability of integrated care systems (ICSs).
The review covered ICSs in England and the NHS targets and priorities for which integrated care boards (ICBs) are accountable, including those set out in the government’s mandate to NHS England.
The BASW England submission contains key messages and points based on feedback from BASW members and family carers response.
The BASW England response to the Review call for evidence (Hewitt Review of Integrated care Systems)
BASW England endorses NICE in calling for the recording of potential unmet need
Guideline NG216 NG216 Social work with adults experiencing complex needs on social work with adults experiencing complex needs was amended in January 2023 “to better align with the Care Act and clarify social worker and local authority responsibilities in relation to meeting eligible needs”. BASW England was instrumental in securing this recent amendment which is about addressing potential unmet need.
The guideline is described as covering “the planning, delivery and review of social work interventions for adults who have complex needs” and makes reference to the application of the Care Act in relation to needs assessment, risk assessment and care planning. This guideline is welcome and provides helpful guidance for social workers in terms of professional judgement and evidence based practice: See full statement BASW England endorses NICE in calling for the recording of potential unmet need
An Ethical Approach to Meeting Needs in Adult Social Care | BASW England guidance
How the BASW Code of Ethics can help social workers to improve application of the Care Act to decisions about resource allocation
This guidance outlines how social workers can use the BASW Code of Ethics for Social Work to assert their professional judgement where there are concerns that financial pressures are leading to unjust decisions, and the needs of people who require care and support being unmet and under-met.
Consultation on the future of adult social care | BASW England
The BASW England Adults Group has been discussing social care reform since the announcement in 2018 that a Green Paper on Adult Social Care would be published. Many of the ideas that have been developed were outlined in the BASW England submission to the Parliamentary Health and Social Care Committee.
What follows outlines what has been agreed by BASW England about how social care should be reformed, but the debate continues and the BASW England Adults Group welcome your views:
Ten reforms we would like to see in social care
Background and context
In response to the announcement in 2017 that the Green Paper on Adult Social Care would be published, BASW England established a task and finish group to develop a position on behalf of BASW England members – the task and finish group is a subgroup of the adult social work group (formerly the Policy, Practice and Education Group PPEG). This formal response is in relation to a consultation seeking the views of BASW England members regarding the delayed Adult Social Care Green Paper and the future of adult social care.
Over the past few years, it has become increasingly accepted that a major review of adult social care in England is required to respond to the increase in proportion of the population with care and support needs. How we support people to have a dignified and hopeful life is a test of society’s moral worth. We all hope to have a level of wellbeing at least as good as that of most others around us and to be in control of our own life. That is why wellbeing and a person-centred approach to social work are central to this consultation response based on the vision of the Care Act 2014.
The Green Paper task and finish group considered various difficulties arising within adult social care and the impact upon social workers and adults’ experience of social work and what needs to change. Throughout these discussions, various viewpoints have arisen regarding the solutions to the difficulties within the current system. This response is informed by existing evidence in relation to adult social care and includes a four-step approach developed by social workers for social workers and the people who rely on the social care system. BASW recognises that this approach is untested, however, seeks to use the outcome of this consultation to initiate debate within the health and social care sector.
Consultation response:
BASW England adult social work group responded to the Parliamentary Health & Social Care Committee Social care: funding and workforce Inquiry 30 July 2020
The full BASW England consultation analysis of The Future of Adult Social Care was published in August 2020, setting out how the response was used to inform the submission to the Parliamentary Health and Social Care Committee Social care: funding and workforce inquiry. To find out more about BASW England’s position on the future of social care, including ideas developed from the member consultation then please read the submission below.
"Adult Social Care – How will the upcoming legal changes impact our work"
This is a BASW England Worcestershire branch event which took place on the 9th June 2022 and discusses some of the current reforms progressing through parliament.
There are a number of current reforms progressing through parliament relating to Adult Social Care including: Health and Social Care Bill and the White Paper.
Jackie Mahoney is the co-chair of the Adult Thematic Group (BASW), a Social Worker since 2008 and currently a Team Manager working for a Local Authority in the North West.
Jackie shares her views on the reforms and how they could impact on social work. Jackie talks about how social workers can continue to have a voice and how the profession can be respected, whilst working with key partnerships, particularly regarding the integration element to policy reform.