The first report, Short-term Pain, Long-term Gain, examines how shrinking budgets are eroding long-term investment and driving up care costs in the years ahead.
The second, Restoring Stability: Practical Measures for a Pressured Sector, focuses on immediate, actionable strategies providers can implement to alleviate mounting financial strain.
Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, said:
“I hope this report will inspire providers to explore the opportunities it sets out, and that it will also remind policymakers of the sector’s extraordinary potential when given the tools and support it needs.
Our report is by no means a substitute for meaningful sector reform and additional funding, but it does offer routes for providers to remain resilient through more immediate funding pressures.”
Against the backdrop of declining capital investment and limited government action, both reports compile practical insights developed through Care England’s recent research.
Examples of suggested solutions include:
- SMART Care Intel platform – a new tool offering data insights to support investment, recruitment, and quality improvement ahead of CQC inspections.
- Falls prevention measures, such as switching to decaffeinated drinks and optimising residents’ sleep routines.
- Workforce initiatives – promoting values-based recruitment, employee referral programmes like Care Friends, and financial wellbeing platforms for staff.
- Operational efficiency improvements, including training staff in single-handed moving and handling techniques.
Professor Green added:
“I have no doubt that the solutions outlined in our latest publications will be a lifeline to many providers in increasingly challenging times.
We continue to call on the government to drive the investment our publication identifies, as providers and those who draw on care cannot wait for the Casey Commission’s report into sector reform.
Despite this, the sector has shown resilience through innovation and collaboration, and I encourage providers who are struggling to explore these options while there is still time to act.”
