Marie Curie response to NAO health and social care report

 Scott Sinclair, Head of Policy & Public Affairs, England, Marie Curie said:

“We are pleased to see today’s report from the National Audit Office looking at how health and social care work together. While everyone recognises the value of the NHS and local government co-operation, bringing the two systems together is a real challenge. Both are overstretched and under-resourced, and it is unreasonable to expect health and social care organisations to make any real headway on closer co-operation if we aren’t recognising the importance of the undertaking and resourcing it properly.

The challenge is only made worse by how poorly we regard social care in comparison to the NHS. This was evident in Theresa May’s recent announcement on increased NHS funding, which completely overlooked social care. Instead, any investment in the system has been kicked down the road to 2020.

This isn’t good enough. If we want a health and social care system that works cohesively around the needs of vulnerable people we need to start setting aside resources to build it, rather than hoping that it will spring from nowhere.”