Action, not words, on social care crisis

DEAR Editor, Among the political chaos of last week, shocking statistics revealing that delayed transfers of care in NHS hospitals have increased by more than half (52 per cent) in the last three years quietly slipped through the net.

This is unacceptable. Often it’s older people who suffer most from delayed discharges from hospital. Delays mean it takes longer to recover and have a domino effect for other patients waiting to get onto a ward.

All too often, delays are due to the failure to link with social care for those who are well enough to return home, meaning they are forced to languish in hospital longer than necessary. Anchor has proven it doesn’t have to be this way with successful trials offering ‘re-enablement’ in care homes which improves lives and saves the NHS money.

Our new government must emerge from a week of turmoil with clarity and recognise that life goes on outside of parliament. I was pleased to see social care’s prominence in the parties’ election campaigns. It’s time to turn words into action and commit to a plan that funds our health and social care. Jane Ashcroft, chief executive of Anchor, not-for-profit care and housing provider