Marie Curie response to Government's announcement on older peoples' care

The Government has announced that a Green Paper, setting out how their plan for tackling the challenges of an ageing population, will be published by Summer 2018.

Marie Curie feels that these plans are already long overdue and has issued the following response.

Simon Jones, Director of Policy and Public Affairs for Marie Curie said:

“In June we were promised a start to the long process of fixing social care in the UK. The announcement today from the Government that the consultation will be delayed until next summer shows that the serious issues in social care are still not being taken seriously enough and have effectively been kicked into the long grass.

“Right now people in the UK living with terminal illnesses, and their loved ones that care for them, are being failed by a lack of progress. Many will be dying in places they don't want to be, in unnecessary pain, making an already difficult time much worse.

 “We would urge the Government to think again on their timing for this consultation, and give social care the attention it needs without further delay.”