Barbara Keeley MP, Shadow Cabinet Member for Social Care, commenting on an Observer investigation which found the Government’s flagship policy to keep elderly people out of hospital is failing, said:

“It is now clear that Tory Ministers’ plans have starved social care of funds to a point where the system is now failing to operate effectively.

“Leaders of local government and health organisations pleaded with the Chancellor to put the funding right in the Autumn Statement but he failed to do so.

“After cuts of £4.5 billion to social care since 2010, we now have regular failures in care services which hit older and vulnerable people who need those services. Social Care failures also affect the wider NHS with record numbers of patients delayed on discharge. One third of those delays are due to lack of social care.

“Tory Chancellors have damaged social care by failing to fund it adequately and it is hitting older and vulnerable people and NHS services the hardest. We need urgent action from Ministers now.”

Ends

Editor’s Note:

1. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/dec/10/care-for-elderly-crisis-how-to-improve-quality-of-life