Age UK comments on the decision to merge health and social care in new political portfolio
Published on 08 January 2018 06:00 PM
On Monday 8 January, the government announced its decision to merge health and social care into one political portfolio.
As featured on Press Association, Age UK's Charity Director, Caroline Abrahams said:
'The addition of ‘social care’ to the Secretary of State for Health’s title is a welcome and long overdue recognition of the interdependence of health and social care provision and the importance of social care in our society. It would be appropriate for the Department also now to be renamed.
'Altering the title of the Minister in charge of social care and health and, we hope, that of their Department of State, in itself does nothing to improve provision on the ground or to address the huge funding shortfalls crippling local services, but we hope it is a statement of positive intent that will be followed swiftly by Government action because this is certainly urgently needed.'