UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Streeting has defended the government’s action to reform adult social care, saying proposals won’t be ready until 2028, while critics urge quicker action.
Ministers are under pressure for urgent social care reforms after it was revealed that the proposals might not be ready for three years.
After 15 years, the government has initiated the first phase of setting up a National Care Service.
Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, stated on Friday that people should be safeguarded from the “catastrophic costs” of treatment, which often lead to home sales.
Mr Streeting has launched an independent commission, which will start working in the spring. He warned that the process would take time and it would not happen overnight.
This commission will be chaired by Baroness Louise Casey.
The initial phase will deliver recommendations for medium-term changes next year, with the other phase, due by 2028, will propose long-term solutions.
Ed Davey, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, argued the action was ‘long overdue’ and urged for the review to be completed within the coming year.
The CEO of the King’s Fund, Sarah Woolnough told BBC Radio 4 that the proposed timeline appears too long and insisted the government consider faster solutions.
As reported by BBC, local authorities and care services providers have raised concerns about the final report on long-term changes is too delayed, as essential services are already in crisis.
Health Secretary faced tough questions on the timeline during a heated debate with Good Morning Britain host Kate Garraway, where she shared her experience with “excessive, unpayable debt” due to her late husband’s treatment expenses.
Ms Garrage explained to Mr Streeting that she was “lucky” to have a good-paying job but stated, “Now I’ve got excessive, unpayable debt because of it, and if I’m in that position, what are other people going to be? People can’t afford four more years of this?”
While Mr Streeting denied concerns that the government is delaying social care reform, saying it is “already taking action” and has “achieved a lot in the first six months.”
He pointed out he had called on opposition parties to take part in the commission “to build a cross-party consensus to ensure the National Care Service survives governments of different shades, just as our NHS has for the past 76 years.”
The announced commission will report directly to Sir Keir Starmer and be headed by Baroness Casey. She has led major reviews on homelessness, and child violence, and said she was excited to “lead this important work.”
Edward Argar, the Shadow Health Secretary, said the Tory party would participate positively, but criticized that Labour has no proposal for social care after 14 years in opposition.
The Homecare Association expressed hope that the announcement finally break the deadlock in social care reform.
Last summer, the government was criticized after Chancellor Rachel overturned Sir Andrew Dilnot’s plans, which the previous government had approved, to impose an £86,000 cap on care costs for older or disabled individuals.
The Health Secretary stated on Friday that Labour was ready to implement the social care proposals from the Dilnot Commission, but later they discovered that the funds were not available.
It was revealed that over the past 25 years, numerous commissions, and evaluations have been unable to bring any real change.
An extra £86m would be allocated to support thousands of elderly and disabled people in staying at home, the government confirmed.