5th July 2023 is the NHS’ 75th birthday. We can’t imagine life without it – but unfortunately, our NHS is facing increasing pressure from the catastrophic issues facing social care. 

“A crucial part of the ongoing health of the NHS is having a social care system that ensures people get the care they need to stay healthy and independent for as long as possible.”

1 in every 10 social care posts are vacant. This means more and more people are struggling to get the right support to stay healthy and independent at home. Some of them end up in hospital, or added to already lengthy NHS waiting lists.  

After treatment, up to 13,000 people who are fit to be discharged are instead stuck in hospital on any given day in England. This is because the care which would allow them to recover at home isn’t in place. 

The lack of affordable, available social care also places huge pressure on unpaid carers. Caring responsibilities leave many feeling exhausted, burnt out, and struggling with their own health.  

The best birthday gift the NHS could receive on its 75th birthday would be social care that truly works for everyone.

We are asking our political leaders to commit to proper funding and reform for the social care system. So, we’re sending them birthday cards from all our members to remind them they can’t keep ignoring social care, and to ask them to finally make an honest commitment to fix it once and for all. 

Read our birthday message below: 

 

 

Card text:

Treating over a million people a day in England, the NHS touches all our lives, and none of us can imagine life without it.

A crucial part of the ongoing health of the NHS is having a social care system that ensures people get the care they need to stay healthy and independent for as long as possible.

The best 75th birthday present that the NHS could receive is a commitment from all political parties to reform and properly fund social care.

As our population ages, with more people living longer with multiple, complex conditions, the neglect of social care is becoming increasingly unsustainable and exacerbating the challenges faced by the NHS.

A&E departments are seeing increasing numbers of people admitted because they aren’t receiving the care and support they need to remain independent at home. Once they are in hospital, it becomes increasingly difficult to discharge them because the right care packages aren’t in place. It’s a vicious circle that’s causing significant heartache and distress to service users – and huge difficulties for the NHS too.

A reformed and properly funded social care system would not only be hugely helpful to millions of older and disabled people and their carers who deserve decent care, but would also reduce the pressure on the NHS, so that it can concentrate on tackling record high waiting lists for the benefit of all.

Yours sincerely,

The Care and Support Alliance