Dementia Support Line
MPs warn of crisis in social care as more people suffer from cuts in care – Alzheimer’s Society comment
Three out of five politicians say people in their constituencies are suffering because of cuts to social care, with three quarters saying there is a crisis in care in England.
The polling was commissioned by the NHS Confederation, which leads Health for Care, a coalition of 15 organisations including Alzheimer’s Society.
Other key findings include:
- Two thirds (65%) of MPs say the number of people in their constituencies coming to them with concerns over social care has increased during their time in office, with nearly half (46%) saying it has increased significantly.
- Concern was highest among MPs in the north of England where two thirds (62%) of MPs strongly agreed that their constituents are suffering because of cuts to care.
- There is little faith among MPs that the green paper will improve standards of social care provision – only half (49%) agree it will.
Sally Copley, Director of Policy and Campaigns at Alzheimer’s Society, says:
'It is a real cause for concern that half of MPs don’t think the long-awaited Green Paper will improve the standard of social care provision in this country. Successive governments have failed to tackle this issue and, all the while, more people are being diagnosed with dementia and demand for care is ever increasing. The human cost of this inaction is staggering, with many families at breaking point.
'The new Prime Minister must say how they will introduce a long-term funding solution for care, without which the NHS Long Term Plan will fail. In the meantime, we’re calling for urgent investment in quality, specialist dementia support through a dedicated Dementia Fund. The Fund will provide a lifeline to hundreds of thousands of people living with dementia who have already waited too long for decisive, political leadership on social care.'
