Raising funds for social care important but so too is the equitable implementation of plans
Responding to the Government's announcement that changes to the tax system will be used to fund adult social care reform, Danny Mortimer, deputy chief executive of the NHS Confederation and chair of the Health for Care coalition, said:
"Health service leaders have always been clear of the absolute priority they attach to the government taking forward its long promised reform of social care. This announcement is an initial step in making good the commitment given in the last election to fund a long term plan for social care. The announcement reinforces the vital work in local authorities and health with their colleagues in social care to ensure that our friends, relatives and neighbours receive services which better support their quality of life.
"However, we are concerned that the funding levels do not go far enough and will fail to deliver the sustainable social care system we all want to see. More will be needed to ensure that the support and certainty that social care and the communities and families they serve have needed for so long is delivered.
"It is as yet unclear that there are the comprehensive plans in place which support this announcement: the politically brave and often controversial decision to raise funds through taxation is important but so too is the equitable and considered implementation of plans for improvement of all areas of social care services, including working age adults as well as our older citizens."
