Nine in 10 MPs believe social care system is '˜not fit for purpose', survey reveals

Ministers are under pressure to carry out an 'urgent' review of the country's health and social care sector as a new poll reveals the scale of concern among politicians about the future of these vital local services.

By The Newsroom Thursday, 31st August 2017, 1:01 am Updated Monday, 11th September 2017, 12:52 pm

MPs are caliing for a 'fundamental' review of adult social care

According to the survey, around 90 percent of MPs do not believe the care system is fit to cope with the challenges of an ageing population, while 85 percent argue it receives too little funding.

The findings follow a series of warnings that the sector is on the brink of collapse due to increasing demand and a squeeze on resources. Local MPs and campaigners are urging the Government to commit to a “fundamental” review of the system to ensure it can provide sustainable support for generations to come.

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“This poll is entirely consistent with the report we did at the end of the last Parliament, which called for a fundamental review of not only the funding but the whole way that social care operates,” said Sheffield MP and CLG select committee chairman, Clive Betts. “This is about having a properly skilled workforce, proper career progression, and proper terms and conditions for people who are delivering a very important service.

“We’ve had around 9 percent cuts in real terms in social care funding since 2010. The number of elderly people needing care has gone up... and there have been cuts in the budget. That all adds up to a significant problem that needs immediately addressing.”

The survey of 101 English MPs found that only 10 percent believe the current social care system is suitable for the UK’s ageing population. The research, carried out by the charity Independent Age, also showed just 13 percent of Labour MPs and 35 percent of Conservative MPs believe social care services in their constituencies are fit for purpose.

Ministers have previously acknowledged that the system is under significant pressure, announcing two emergency funding packages in December and March totalling £2.9bn. They have also committed to publishing a green paper on social care reform.

However, MPs argue any review needs to be wide-ranging and have cross-party support. The former CLG committee member and Conservative MP for Thirsk and Malton, Kevin Holinrake warned that otherwise the crisis will continue.

“There have been successive rounds of funding which have plugged the short term gap, but it’s the medium and longer term problem that we need to solve,” he said. “It is a ticking time bomb and unless we do something structural and strategic to solve [it] then we are going to be fighting this for many decades.”

The former Lib Dem Health Minister, Norman Lamb added: “The Government simply cannot afford to put off finding solutions to these problems.

“Without lasting reform, the most vulnerable frail and elderly people are at real risk of falling through the gaps and not getting the support they expect and deserve.”

Janet Morrison, chief executive of Independent Age said: “The crisis in social care was front and centre in the election earlier this year, and it is clear from this poll that there is an overwhelming desire from politicians on all sides for the Government to work towards a cross-party consensus on a solution.

“The problems in social care are about more than simply finding new bits of money to pump into a system that isn’t fit for purpose. To meet current and future demand, we need to take a radically different approach, recognising the status quo has failed.”