Next Prime Minister Must Not Duck Social Care Challenge, Says NHS Confederation

Responding to Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham’s expected comments about social care at Confed19, Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which leads the Health for Care coalition of 15 national representative health organisations, said:

“Andy Burnham is absolutely right that it is a travesty that so many people are left to struggle because of an underfunded social care system and we welcome his intervention. Record numbers of people and their families have been left struggling without the basic care and support they need.

“This is the greatest social challenge of our time and the next Prime Minister simply must not duck this burning injustice.

“Recent polling by ComRes, which we commissioned, revealed 76% of MPs agree there is a crisis in social care with three in five saying cuts to the service have left people in their constituencies suffering.

“Health and social care are two sides of the same coin and integrating care, such as the excellent work going on in Greater Manchester, is vital to solving this crisis but, as Mr Burnham says, it cannot be achieved without investment which must start with the spending review later in the year.

“The effect on the NHS is profound too – our survey of front-line NHS leaders published yesterday revealed nine in 10 of them are not confident the NHS will be able to deliver the reforms set out in the NHS Long Term Plan without a long-term financial settlement for social care. That is why we set up Health for Care, an alliance of 15 national representative health organisations which is making the case for a sustainable future for adult social care in England, backed-up by a long-term funding settlement.”