LGA responds to Age UK report on social care delayed transfers of care

5 Dec 2019 09:51 AM

Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, responded to a report by Age UK on delayed transfers of care attributable to social care and the need to put adult social care on a sustainable financial footing 

“No council wants to see someone stay in hospital for a day longer than necessary.

“Our own analysis show that thanks to the hard work of councils’ social care teams, the NHS has seen delayed transfers of care attributable to social care fall by more than half a million over the past two years.

“This is clear evidence of the human value of investing in the social care services which support millions of people every day and the vital role it can play in alleviating pressure on the health service.

“The next government needs to bring forward substantive proposals for the future of adult social care as soon as possible, to reassure all those who use and work in this vital service.

“We also need an honest debate about what the future of care and support should be and how it should be funded in the long-term.”

Notes to editors

LGA: Adult social care services help cut half a million unnecessary hospital bed days

Age UK Report:  Lack of social care has led to 2.5 million lost bed days in the NHS between the last Election and this one