Nadra Ahmed CBE, nationally recognised sector leader with over 40 years experience, whose letter led to Providers Unite's unprecedented march on Westminster, demands funding not reform and warns social care crisis is getting worse.

The Chair of the National Care Association has delivered a blistering attack on Government policy, declaring social care must stop being treated as "an add on" to the NHS as she reveals how 250 frustrated providers united to march on Parliament this year in an unprecedented united show of defiance.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH - THE MARCH THAT SHOOK WESTMINSTER  
Speaking on Newcross Healthcare's Voices of Care podcast with host Suhail Mirza, Nadra Ahmed CBE revealed the inspired moment that sparked the Providers Unite movement: "We had about 250 people on a call saying, we've got to do something. Let's go march on Parliament." 

The march represented a seismic shift in a sector as it felt words were no longer enough. "the march on Parliament came in later," Ahmed explained, describing how provider frustration reached boiling point during the call and led to thousands marching to the Palace of Westminster. 

"SOMEBODY IS LYING" - THE FUNDING SCANDAL EXPOSED  
Ahmed pulled no punches when addressing Government claims of increasing funding earlier this year, declaring: "somebody is not telling us the truth" about announced additional funding actually reaching the frontline providers. 

"So when it comes to the frontline, the money is, insufficient is a polite way of saying it," she stated bluntly, before delivering an even more damning assessment: "the reality is, it's not even a drop in the ocean." 
 
 Her frustration was palpable as she confronted what she sees as deliberate misdirection: "someone in there is lying." 

SOCIAL CARE FIGHTS FOR ITS IDENTITY
At the heart of Ahmed's message lies a fundamental challenge to how social care is perceived and valued. "the role of social care is not only to support the NHS, it is a role in its own right," she declared.

"They only invest in us to support the NHS," Ahmed continued, highlighting the sector's struggle for recognition as an essential service deserving investment in its own merit and true parity of esteem with the NHS.

She highlighted the growing number of people waiting for a care assessment and the shocking levels of unmet needs.

The crisis is stark: "we're probably closer to about, three quarters of a million people who can't even be assessed for social care."  

THE HUMAN COST OF GOVERNMENT INACTION
Ahmed painted a disturbing picture of vulnerable people abandoned by policy failures: "we're allowing, enabling, by keeping quiet, vulnerable people to be ignored." This sense of frustration and the injustice of so many with unmet needs effectively was the fuel to the fire that ignited the Providers Unite movement being born.

She emphasised how the demands of the sector are becoming ever more acute, highlighting the growing complexity of care needs: "We're looking after people who have very complex healthcare needs. And the need is growing." 

WORKFORCE CRISIS AND IMMIGRATION BLUNDERS
Acknowledging the sector’s reliance on international recruitment, the NCA Chair didn't spare the Home Office from criticism over policy changes leading to visa restrictions that have worsened workforce shortages.

"I would say the Home Office got it wrong when they first put the visas out, they should have been much more careful and we wouldn't have had this problem."

Despite the challenges, Ahmed remains passionate about the sector's mission: "Why would you be a carer? You'd be a carer because it's one of the most rewarding jobs that you'll ever do."

She called for systematic support for the workforce: "they need to have the professional ladder, they need to be paid properly. And all of that should be funded through government."

DEFIANT LEADER REFUSES TO BE SILENCED
When asked about criticism of her outspoken approach, Ahmed was characteristically direct: "as soon as you raise your head above the parapet, there's always somebody to shoot it down."

Her response was unequivocal: "so is it going to shut me up? Is it hell."  

THE SECTOR'S CORE MESSAGE
Ahmed's fundamental argument cuts through political rhetoric saying that for all the talk of “reforming social care” the crisis on the ground remains profound and will remain so unless there is proper respect for its role in society: "Social care has continued to deliver, continues to deliver and does not need fixing. It needs to be funded."

End

The Voices of Care podcast, hosted by Suhail Mirza, continues to provide a platform for sector leaders to address critical issues facing health and social care across the UK. 
 

Contact: Newcross Healthcare: Omar Eissa, Marketing Manager 
omar.eissa@newcrosshealthcare.com 

About the Voice of Care Podcast 
The Voices of Care podcast, a Newcross Healthcare production hosted by Suhail Mirza, offers candid conversations with key figures in health and social care. Created to give a platform to those shaping the future of care, the podcast explores the biggest challenges facing the sector while spotlighting inspiring stories of innovation and leadership. 

About Newcross Healthcare 
Newcross Healthcare is one of the UK's leading providers of social and health care services, both within the community and through healthcare staffing. With an extensive network of over 165,000 registered healthcare professionals and nearly three decades of expert experience, Newcross delivers high-quality care solutions that meet the diverse needs of patients and communities. 
For more information, visit www.newcrosshealthcare.com