Call to Move Social Care Up the Election Agenda

The Lincolnshire Care Association has voiced its support for a call urging political leaders to be more positive about adult social care and make it a higher priority in this General Election campaign.

A joint statement signed by the Local Government Association and the leaders of 40 other organisations demands “a step change in the way that adult social care and support is understood, talked about, championed and prioritised at the national political level.”

Melanie Weatherley MBE, Chair of the Lincolnshire Care Association, is one of the signatories to the statement.

“We’re encouraging politicians of all colours to talk more about adult social care in the remaining weeks of the election campaign and to talk about it in a positive way, recognising that support and care is a fundamental part of the social and economic fabric of our communities,” she said.

“Two things strike us about the election campaign so far: first, adult social care is not as prominent as it should be, and second, when adult social care is discussed it tends to be presented as a service that is broken and in need of being fixed.

“We want politicians to extol the virtues and value of care and support, recognise the role of social care at every level of society, and give people reasons to be hopeful, not alarmed.”