Hunt puts social care reform on hold

The Health Secretary said it did not make sense to publish plans for social care before plans for the NHS have been drafted, and promised that both would be published in the autumn. 

Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive at Alzheimer’s Society, said:

“Hundreds of thousands of people with dementia rely on social care every day, and each day we wait for reform leaves them enduring inadequate care and crippling costs. The Green Paper is an opportunity to end this injustice, so I sincerely hope this delay means the Government is taking the time to get it right, not pushing it down the list.

“As the 10 year NHS plan develops, social care must be a critical part of the conversation; investing in one while ignoring the other is a false economy. Our helpline is inundated with calls about people with dementia rushed to A&E and stuck in hospital due to lack of proper community support.

“1 million people will have dementia by 2021, so we can’t accept a promise of reform sometime in the future – we need action now. The Government must deliver high quality social care to everyone who needs it at a fair price.”

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