Reversing Tory social care cuts is not enough

Responding to Labour's pledge to reverse the reductions made by the Conservative Government since 2015 to social care provision, Newcastle Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care Spokesperson Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor said:

"Social care is in crisis. Financial pressures have seen the elderly and younger adults with disabilities have their limited support - support to get dressed, support to make meals - reduced even further all across the country.

"The Tories claimed reform of the broken social care system would be their key priority at the 2017 General Election. Two years on however they have proposed nothing, they have changed nothing, and funding is still desperately low.

"While additional funding is desperately needed, the crisis in care is now such that money alone is not enough. The Liberal Democrats recognise this and demand better.

"The Liberal Democrats would as a first step put social care on a stable footing with a penny on Income Tax whilst working to a achieve a longer-term settlement for social care. Liberal Democrats would establish a cross-party health and social care convention, bringing together stakeholders from all political parties, patients groups, the public and professionals from within the health and social care system to find a solution for the crisis in social care."