Richard Hawkes, Chair of the CSA, said:

“If this Government wants to ease the pressure on A&E this winter, it needs to invest in local, preventative, social care.

”Many older and disabled people need help with day-to-day tasks, like getting up, preparing meals and doing the shopping but chronic under-funding has seen hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people lose out on council-funded support.

“Without that support experts like the Kings Fund argue that they become isolated, fall into crisis and end up in A&E.

“The Government could have used the Autumn Statement to underpin its important reforms with investment, but with the Care Bill set to be debated in less than a fortnight they have a big opportunity to commit to properly fund the social care system.”

Note:
The Kings Fund says: “Social care is feeling the impact of very tight finances and often does not respond at the pace required.” http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/blog/2013/04/can-we-keep-demand-urgent-and-emergency-care