Government Cannot keep ignoring the problems in Social Care

5.09.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 10th Jan 2007

Sandra Gidley MP

Commenting on today's Commission for Social Care Inspection report into the state of social care in England 2005/06, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson, Sandra Gidley MP said:

"The Government cannot keep kicking this problem into the long grass.

"This issue is of fundamental importance because it will affect the one in four people who will require some form of long-term care in their lifetime. It will also increase the financial and emotional burden on the many overworked, and often unpaid carers, who are helping the elderly."

"Derek Wanless gave his chilling forecast on the looming crisis in social care last year and offered a range of solutions, all of which were ignored by the Government. Councils around the country are tightening their qualifying criteria - meaning that those in need of care will have to reach a desperately needy state before they get any help. This could mean years of requiring help and not getting it.

"The financial and human cost of not tackling these pressures early on will be huge and cannot be ignored."