Powerful Panorama investigation makes case for action on social care, says NHS Confederation

30 May 2019 10:21 AM

Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which leads the national Health for Care campaign, responded to last night’s BBC Panorama Crisis in Care Part One programme about social care 

“Here is the stark reality of carers’ lives laid bare. Our social care services cannot cope, and our political leaders need to face up to their responsibilities instead of squabbling amongst one another.

“Successive governments have made promises but failed to fix fundamental problems. Families are worn down by a system that is not fit for purpose. The financial impact on the NHS was also evident in these harrowing stories.  

“This was another powerful reminder that social care is one of the great unresolved challenges of this generation. Health leaders are now determined to do their bit to support social care funding reform: it is the right thing to do and because without it the NHS itself will not be able to deliver.

“The Health for Care campaign will continue to call on our politicians to act – the new Prime Minister needs to commit to act to shore up current service and provide for reform and a long-term funding settlement.“