The Liberal Democrats have called on the Prime Minister to start urgent cross-party talks on social care reforms without delay, as a new report warns that local services are facing a ‘deluge’ of requests for care and support.
The warning comes in a survey by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, published recently. Meanwhile, a separate report by Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee concludes that social care is “not properly funded, lacks transparency and urgently needs reform”.
“We urgently need a new agreement for a long-term, sustainable future for social care”
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of social care. But it has also shown that it is too often an afterthought for this Conservative Government.
More than 1.5 million people are missing out on the care they need. People are trapped in hospital, unable to leave because the proper follow-up care is not available. The NHS, local councils and unpaid carers are all under huge and growing pressure.
This is happening because the Conservatives ripped up the previous cross-party agreement on social care, developed by Liberal Democrat ministers and based on the same values that underpin our NHS.
We urgently need a new agreement for a long-term, sustainable future for social care. The Government must finally publish its proposals and hold the cross-party talks ministers have been promising for years. And the LGA needs to be at that table now more than ever.
Local government is still reeling from the financial pressures of the pandemic – this cannot wait any longer.