Liz Kendall MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Care and Older People, commenting on Leonard Cheshire Disability’s survey on social care, said:

“We will never get the care we aspire to from a malnourished social care system that dishes out care in 15 minute slots. It’s barely enough time to make a cup of tea let alone exchange a meaningful word.

“On David Cameron’s watch, £1.8 billion has been cut from council budgets for adult social care - the system is close to collapse, while care charges have been pushed up further, adding to the cost of living crisis.

“Older people aren’t getting the support they need at home and are ending up in hospital in ever greater numbers. This isn’t good for them and doesn’t make economic sense either, as taxpayers end up paying for more expensive hospital care.

“The Government claims it wants to join up services, but its pilots are depressingly unambitious. Labour’s plans for ‘whole person care’ would see the full integration of the NHS and social care, helping to raise care standards and deliver better value for money too.”