Your Britain policy discussion on health and social care

Without doubt one of the most important challenges for policy-makers today is social care.

Securing a financially sustainable model for providing care for the elderly is an urgent challenge. The ageing population is a challenge dominating the policy landscape and carries with it many complexities.  We will see dramatic increases in the numbers of people living with dementia. Expectations of care services will change overtime and people will expect care services to meet their individual needs and aspirations.

It was very interesting to discuss these issues and others with Labour Party members in Erewash recently. Local councillor Claire Neill organised a policy forum meeting to address a number of questions currently part of Labour's Policy Review.

Discussing the NHS and social care policy with
members of Erewash Labour Party.

Labour's Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham has recently begun to talk about the concept of Whole Person Care. Having read Andy's speech to the King's Fund where he unveiled this approach, and having discussed it recently with Shadow Minister Liz Kendall, I am convinced there is real merit in taking this approach forward. It could define the next era of thinking around health and social care. 

Interestingly, the meeting of Labour members in Erewash, voted overwhelmingly in favour of full integration of health and care budgets.