As a nation we love to talk, so perhaps it is not surprising that the quality of care services we provide has been the subject of much ongoing debate.
The issue has made headline news, been raised in parliament and discussed by many informed audiences. But more often than not, the interest and attention seems to wane before real progress is made.
However, set the country a challenge, for example hosting the Olympics, and questions about whether we can do it; should we do it; can we afford it? – are met with a resounding "yes".
There are no postponements, no back to the drawing board discussions – we just want to put on the greatest Games ever.
It's a pity we can't show the same passion and determination when it comes to addressing other challenges facing the country, not least the provision of excellent, quality care for the elderly and more vulnerable members of our communities.
Over the last two years we have looked closely at how care is provided now, against how we would like to see even better quality care provided in the future.
Staffordshire's A Revolution in Care Quality green paper is the culmination of this thorough review.
As a green paper, it is designed to promote debate, but not just for the sake of it. Instead, it details proposals to transform the whole experience of care which are all deliverable, not only in Staffordshire, but potentially across the UK.
Our recommendations include adopting a zero-tolerance policy on poor quality, sharing more information with the wider community, for example by publishing details of complaints about providers, investing in more frontline monitoring and raising the status of the professional carer.
For far too long, commissioners have been nervous about the impact on providers, when the focus should be on the people they care for.
Our green paper goes much further than dipping a toe in the water. It demonstrates a shift in approach to one which fundamentally measures the quality of services through people's day-to-day experiences.
We propose to get tough with providers, rewarding those that do a good job and penalising those that don't.
While some of the recommendations in the paper will undoubtedly require investment, quality isn't all about cost.
Services like our innovative care match scheme lets people choose their carers and vice versa. This covers not only their caring needs, but matches people with similar interests or maybe even just the same sense of humour. This more personalised approach doesn't come with a huge price tag. It is simple, but brilliant at the same time.
If we also truly value people who need care in our community, then we need to value the people who care for them too. That means making caring a real career option with better training, qualifications and better career progression, perhaps into areas such as nursing.
In the long run, poor quality care can cost more than excellent care and if we need to pay more to deliver quality services then this has be a priority.
Clearly the demand on care services is going to grow and grow over the coming years and standing still, or just talking, is no longer an option.
With the 'greatest show on earth' in town the focus is on the fastest and the strongest; on success and not failure. At a time when performance counts and winning is everything, it is a reminder that when it comes to providing quality care to those who need it most, the time to raise our own game is long overdue.
Matthew Ellis is the cabinet member for adults wellbeing at Staffordshire county council. Consultation on the green paper runs until 16 September
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