Independent Age Chief Executive, Janet Morrison’s response to news that cuts have left 250,000 older people without state care:
“Today’s new research from the Health Foundation and Nuffield Trust confirms what anyone with a long-standing interest in social care has been saying for years: our care system is in crisis. Thank goodness, then, the Public Accounts Committee plans to shine a spotlight on funding for social care in its Inquiry, starting today.
“Independent Age is pleased the Government’s Care Bill will address some of the long-standing problems in our creaking care system. However, we fear the aspirations of the Bill – to promote individual wellbeing and prevent and reduce care needs – will never be realised until the Government puts in place the necessary funding to implement the legislation. Regrettably, what we heard today from the Quality Watch research is that cuts mean 250,000 older people have lost vital care and support to carry out basic everyday activities.
“This trend cannot continue. The danger if it does is that greater numbers of older people will have to reach crisis point before they can receive any local authority support. This cannot be good for them and it cannot be good for our economy as more people visit GPs, A&E and other expensive services when community-based support could have helped them maintain their independence at less cost to their health and the Exchequer.
“Today’s news that the Care Bill places further restrictions on who’s in and who’s out of the care system, through a so-called national minimum eligibility threshold, must serve as the final wake-up call we need radical change to really have a care system we can be proud of.”
