Dimensions responds to Baroness Casey’s first major comment on the adult social care system since she was appointed Chair of the independent Commission.

Rachael Dodgson, Chief Executive of Dimensions, which supports 3,000 people with learning disabilities and autistic adults across England and Wales, said: 

I welcome Baroness Casey’s acknowledgement of the structural and strategic challenges that mean too few people can access great social care that enables them to live their lives.

“Her focus on the failures within the current commissioning system is helpful. Too often commissioning does not support the delivery of consistent, high-quality support, and instead contributes to fragmentation, short-term decision making and instability for providers, the workforce and most importantly, the people who rely on care and support.

For organisations like Dimensions, which supports 3,000 people with learning disabilities and autistic people to live well in their communities, these challenges are clear: too many people who need support to live independently and safely are unable to find it.

We believe there is a strong case for a thematic review of commissioning in adult social care under the Care Quality Commission’s powers. A focused review could help identify where commissioning practices support high-quality care, and where they prevent people from accessing the support they need.

Baroness Casey’s right to draw attention to low pay across the workforce and despite this, the fantastic support that is delivered by people who are dedicated to helping people live good lives. At Dimensions we invest as much as we can in frontline pay and 94% of colleagues are paid at or above Real Living Wage, but maintaining that position year on year is an ever increasing challenge.”

We will continue to work with Baroness Casey and with Government to find solutions together – both now and for the long term – so that more people can access great social care that enables them to live their lives.