Lack of leadership when it comes to social care is going to hurt everyone for generations to come

It highlights what is clearly a failure of leadership. A failure that is going to affect everyone, across the board, for generations to come.

The key to starting to fix the social care crisis is ensuring sufficient support for the workforce. The fact that there is a lack of a comprehensive long-term workforce plan will alarm people.

It can’t just simply be a case of throwing money at the situation. The Department of Health and Social Care needs to show that it is achieving value for money.

On the issue of money, sufficient funding simply hasn’t been made available to even begin to deal with the crisis in care.

Ever since Boris Johnson’s pledge to fix social care once and for all in 2019, there has been a painful lack of progress. If anything, the situation has deteriorated further and set the sector back.

The sector is crying out for fundamental reform, not quick fixes. Unfortunately, a weak Government facing electoral oblivion has become fixated with saving itself rather than sorting social care in this country but that is a short-sighted approach.

Often there’s a lot of talk about betraying future generations but rarely is there much talk about letting down generations in front.

Those aged 50 or above are more likely to need social care services and that generation is about to be let down. Surely, a key electoral demographic for any party serious about winning votes at the next general election.

Ultimately what is required though is a cross party consensus required. The need to fix social care has been an enduring issue. It presents a structural challenge but it’s a challenge that will have to be met because everyone will come into contact with it at some point.