WHY WE ARE BACKING THE MAIL’S CAMPAIGN
After we exposed the scandalous injustice of dementia care costs, an avalanche of support ... but when will our political class end decades of neglect and actually DO something?
JEREMY Hunt last night praised the Daily Mail’s campaign to end the dementia costs scandal.
The former health secretary said that guaranteeing elderly people ‘dignity and respect’ was ‘unfinished business’ for him.
And he pledged that if he becomes Prime Minister next week he will ‘put this right, once and for all’.
Mr Hunt said: ‘The Daily Mail and its readers deserve huge credit for this campaign, shining a spotlight on one of our country’s biggest ongoing injustices.’
In a veiled jibe at his Tory leadership rival Boris Johnson, he added: ‘ Others campaigned for £350million a week for the NHS, but I actually delivered it, and I will deliver for our elderly generation too.’
The Foreign Secretary added: ‘Britain is known throughout the world for its compassion and decency, and I want to lead a Government that [acts] on that.
‘That’s why guaranteeing older people dignity and respect in their final years is unfinished business for me.
‘I delivered a long-term plan for the NHS, backed by £20billion more a week to fund improvements. I fought hard for the same for social care because we cannot ignore the care needs of older people, such as those with dementia. If I were Prime Minister I would put this right, once and for all.’
England’s top NHS dementia official backed the Mail’s campaign.
Professor Alistair Burns, national clinical director for dementia at NHS England, said: ‘ The Mail is right to try to break the logjam and find a long- term solution for dementia and social care alongside our NHS Long Term Plan for the health service.’
Referring to figures which show that one quarter of people in their 80s now live with the condition, he said: ‘Last month the number of older people diagnosed with dementia hit a record high.
‘Even though more people than ever before are able to access the right care, the health service is having to work even harder to keep up as our country’s ageing population and growing pressure on social care presents a real challenge to provide support for older people.’
The Mail has continued to receive a flood of letters from readers, many of whom have been forced to sell their homes to pay for care.
MPs from across the political spectrum have also pledged their support for the campaign.
Labour MP Clive Betts, chairman of the Commons local government committee, said: ‘I absolutely back this campaign.
‘It needs to be done on a crossparty basis so a solution can be found that survives the next parliament and many parliaments to come. It is a massive issue.
‘The real unfairness is that if you have cancer you will get treatment that will be paid for by the NHS, but if you get dementia and own a home or a bit of a private pension you will pay for care yourself.’
Sir Ed Davey, candidate for the Liberal Democrat leadership, said: ‘I’m happy to back the Mail’s campaign. It’s just not right that so many families have to deal with the heartbreak of a parent or grandparent suffering from dementia – while at the same time dealing with the anxiety and stress of how to pay huge care bills.
‘All too often this leads to families having to flog off precious family homes filled with memories of their sick loved one. This crisis is only going to worsen. We’ve got to get a grip on it now, and fast.’
And Tracey Crouch, the Tory MP for Chatham and Aylesford, said: ‘Too many people are facing the double whammy of suffering from the condition and then having to deal with additional problems, including having to sell their home. The Mail is quite right to highlight that dementia is a ticking timebomb that needs reform now.’
Think-tanks and care organisations – many of which have been calling for change for years – also pledged their support.
Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, the representative body for independent
‘A real challenge for the health service’ ‘This crisis is only going to worsen’
care organisations, said: ‘ Those politicians who pretend there is no need for residential care have obviously not seen a person with advanced dementia who requires 24-hour support and reassurance.’
Natasha Curry, deputy director of policy at the Nuffield Trust think-tank, said: ‘The NHS protects everybody equally when they need health care, but many people are shocked to find out that when it comes to help with daily activities as a result of illness or disability the catastrophic costs are heaped on the unfortunate few.
‘The next Prime Minister must act quickly and commit to a system that has cross-party buy-in, to shift the decades-long stalemate, and raise immediate money to inject into a desperate system.’
– its readers have shown time and again that they can change political minds NIALL DICKSON NHS Confederation if you get dementia and own a home or a bit of a private pension you will pay for care yourself CLIVE BETTS, Labour MP The Daily Mail and its readers deserve huge credit for this campaign, shining a spotlight on one of our country’s biggest ongoing injustices JEREMY HUNT right to highlight that dementia is a ticking timebomb that needs reform now TRACEY CROUCH, Tory MP I am in strong support of the Daily Mail’s campaign. People and families affected by dementia are being forced to spend their resources down to poverty levels in a nakedly unfair way. This is wrong and should stop DAVID TAYLOR Public health expert Social care is in a desperate state, in urgent need of a complete overhaul. Decades of underfunding have left people with dementia struggling with a system that is unfair and unsustainable JEREMY HUGHES Alzheimer’s Society The NHS protects everybody equally when they need health care, but many people are shocked to find out that when it comes to help with daily activities as a result of illness or disability, the catastrophic costs are heaped on the unfortunate few. We need reform so that everybody pays in and in return is guaranteed access to decent care NATASHA CURRY Nuffield Trust The Mail is right to try to break the logjam and find a long-term solution for dementia and social care PROF ALISTAIR BURNS of NHS England The state of social care is a national disgrace and the next Prime Minister needs to make it a top priority. That’s why we support the Daily Mail’s campaign Too many people are facing the double whammy of suffering from dementia and then having to sell their home. The Mail is quite I absolutely back this campaign. The real unfairness is that if you have cancer you will get treatment that will be paid for by the NHS, but