Heidi Alexander MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, commenting on calls for a cross-party commission to review the future of the NHS and social care in England, said:

“This decade is likely to be marked by the longest and deepest squeeze on NHS finances in a generation. George Osborne’s promise of extra money to the NHS has already unravelled, with most of it going towards fixing hospital deficits and paying higher pension costs.

“This is made worse by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrat cuts to social care in the last parliament, that led to over 300,000 fewer older people receiving care.  

"The important debate about how we reform and fund health and care services cannot be left to politicians alone. It must be a national debate which tackles all the important questions about what a future health and care service looks like and how we fund. That is why Labour will set out our own plans to review and consult on this soon.”