Social care reform threatened by Brexit turmoil

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

'For more than a  year now people affected by dementia have watched in frustration and anger as the social care Green Paper is delayed again and again. Now, the all-consuming focus on Brexit risks ignoring the UK’s crisis in dementia care indefinitely.  

'It is unacceptable to leave 850,000 people with dementia, and their families, any longer to battle with hard to access, expensive, and often poor quality care. 

'The human cost of these delays is grave. People with dementia are stuck unnecessarily in hospital because of lack of care in the community, rushed to A&E with avoidable emergencies resulting from poor care, sent home from hospital in the middle of the night to reduce delayed discharges, and forced to sell their possessions to pay for the catastrophic costs of social care. 

'It shouldn’t and needn’t be like this. There will be 1 million people living with the condition by 2021 – they can’t continue to fight both the system and the disease. Government attention and dedication must see health and social care reforms through, and finally deliver – bold action is needed, and needed now.'