At least 12 million older people and disabled people do not receive the care they require, a number which has almost doubled since 2010.
This is according to a May 2018 report by the Care and Support Alliance which reveals the impact of the failing social care system.
Key findings include:
- 1 in 5 have gone without meals due to a lack of care and support
- 1 in 4 have had to struggle without basic support
- 1 in 5 feel unsafe moving around their home and over a third can’t leave it
- Over a third have felt lonely and isolated because of a lack of support
- Over a third have seen their health deteriorate as a result of not getting the care they needed
- Over 1 in 5 have been unable to work because of a lack of care
The report argues that in the upcoming Green Paper on social care, the Government must put forward proposals for how to put social care on a sustainable footing.
Read the report in full (pdf).
The Care and Support Alliance invite you to sign their open letter to Jeremy Hunt, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with recommended actions for fixing the ‘broken’ social care system.
These include:
- Fill the current £2.5 billion funding gap now.
- In the Green Paper, show how we can fix the broken care system for everyone, regardless of age or condition.
- Make the case for a long-term funding settlement that addresses the shocking levels of unmet need and takes unnecessary pressure off the NHS. People must be able to get the high quality care they need, no matter where they live.
The letter states:
It is beyond dispute that our adult social care system is now broken and fundamentally unfit for purpose.