MPS demand a commission to deal with NHS and social care crisis

Theresa May faces calls from almost 100 MPS to establish a cross-party commission to address the crisis in NHS and social care.

The move is an attempt to break the “political deadlock” that has blocked repeated attempts to decide how to organise and fund services to cope with Britain’s ageing population.

Signatories to the letter calling for a parliamentary commission include 21 select committee chairmen and 30 former ministers. The move has the support of a former Treasury mandarin. 0 MPS are calling on Theresa May to address NHS issues

Health Select Committee chairwoman Sarah Wollaston said: “We call on the government to act with urgency and to take a whole system approach to the funding of the NHS, social care and public health.

“On behalf of all those who rely on services, we need to break down the political barriers and to agree a way forward.”

A parliamentary commission would involve a crossparty group of MPS and peers looking at the issue in the same way measures to reform the banking system were examined in the years following the financial crash.

Dr Wollaston said: “We believe this is the best way to examine what funding is needed both now and into the long term and to seek a consensus on the options for sharing the costs.”