Skip to main content

Burnham calls for reform of ‘broken’ social care system

INTEGRATION PLEA: Manchester mayor says higher funding will go to waste without shake-up

IT WOULD be “immoral” not to reform the social care system, which has been revealed as “broken” by the coronavirus pandemic, former health secretary Andy Burnham has said.

A new approach, more closely integrating the social care system with the NHS, is the only way to cope with the challenge of an ageing society, said Mr Burnham.

Mr Burnham is now mayor of Greater Manchester, which has pioneered a much closer relationship between the NHS and social care, developing the “sense of a single system.”

Debates around the future of social care have largely focused on the mounting costs associated with an ageing population.

But Mr Burnham warned that it would be a “waste of money” to introduce a new tax or levy to fund the system without fundamental changes to the way care was delivered.

The Labour politician said: “I feel that, for the first time since I’ve been raising issues around social care, the country can now see how broken it is.

“I think that’s one thing that 2020 did reveal: the disparity between hospitals and care homes.

“I hope that people will demand reform of social care coming out of this pandemic.

“Another pandemic could hit any time – to leave social in this state is immoral.”

Mr Burnham said he would want to work with NHS England to strengthen the idea of a single system.

That could involve the NHS commissioning social care directly, or working with trusted providers – something which could also drive up pay, standards and training in the industry.

But the debate had become embroiled with how to raise extra funds and prevent people having to sell their homes and lose their savings if they need care.

“It puts finance first before thinking about delivery,” Mr Burnham said.

“We’re doing it the other way around in Greater Manchester.

“In the century of the ageing society you cannot continue to think of social care as being separate to physical and mental health. You have to have a system that can see the whole person.

“If social care was placed within the NHS it could act more preventatively than it currently does.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We remain committed to sustainable improvement of the adult social care system and will bring forward proposals as soon as possible.”

OWNED BY OUR READERS

We're a reader-owned co-operative, which means you can become part of the paper too by buying shares in the People’s Press Printing Society.

 

 

Become a supporter

Fighting fund

You've Raised:£ 12,411
We need:£ 5,589
5 Days remaining
Donate today