“LAST week the Health and Social Care Secretary launched the first phase of the process to seek a cross-party consensus to reform the social care system in this country.
This is an issue close to my heart. As a carer to my mum who is living with dementia, I have, like so many, first-hand experience of this country’s social care system. It’s simply not fit for purpose, and anyone with experience of social care knows just how much reform is needed.
The current system we have just can’t continue – and seeing this first-hand was another motivating factor which got me into politics in the first place.
Now we’re in a new Parliament, Brexit is done and we can get on and focus on challenges facing this country which had dropped off the list of priorities.
I’ve always believed that to find a long-term solution to the social care problem, politicians need to work on a cross-party basis.
Successive governments have tried and failed to find a long-term solution because they failed to reach out across the House of Commons.
We cannot make the same mistake again.
Any reforms brought forward must ensure no one is forced to sell their home to pay for care, and everybody accessing care has safety and security.
As this process begins, I’m confident there’s a will from MPs across the House to work together to secure a long-term solution to social care in this country.“
