Lib Dems: Tories making social care crisis even worse

Responding to the report by the IFS stating that councils will need billions of pounds in additional funding to meet the rising costs of adult social care, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Social Care, Luciana Berger said:

"It is absolutely appalling that our elderly and most vulnerable people are missing out on vital care, with family members having to give up their jobs to fill the chronic gaps in the social care system.

"Not only are the Conservatives ignoring this crisis, but they are committing to policies in this election which will make the problems even worse.

"The nurse tax being proposed by Boris Johnson will disincentivise people working for the NHS, but the situation is even worse for social care workers who aren't entitled to the miserable plan they have put forward for nurses. By pursuing Brexit and imposing a points based immigration system the Conservative Government will sabotage any future ability to recruit much needed and valued social care workers. Ellen Nicholson said "Conservative policies such as scrapping the bursary and of course Brexit have adversely affected our ability to recruit and retain staff in health and social care, the trend in Wiltshire is evident nationally. In real terms this means there are fewer people opting for nursing as a career whilst our EU colleagues are leaving the UK to work elsewhere and the long awaited green paper on social care remains on the distant horizon."

"A Liberal Democrat government would ensure our social care system has a sufficient workforce, by stopping Brexit on day one as well as urgently investing in social care through putting a penny on the pound on income tax. In this once in a generation election, only the Liberal Democrats are giving voters the opportunity to build a brighter future."