Solving The Crisis In The NHS & Social Care

Liberal Democrats have launched a campaign for an emergency cross party commission to solve the crisis in NHS and social care.

The funding crisis in social care means more patients than ever before are stuck in hospital beds longer than they need to be, adding pressure to local hospitals.

Bed blocking figures show in Gloucestershire there were 20 people stuck in hospital beds, despite being well enough to be discharged or transferred to social care.

Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Norman Lamb has called for a national cross party commission to tackle the funding crisis.

Local Liberal Democrat Adrian Walker-Smith said that at the General Election there was agreement between candidates in Stroud that Health and Social Services have to be looked at together. This subject is so important that all parties should co-operate in establishing a way forward to provide consistent and adequate funding.

Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Norman Lamb said:

"The NHS and social care face an existential crisis. Demand for services continues to rise year on year but funding is failing to keep up. The position in social care is perhaps even more serious.

"Growing pressures on services are so severe that all parties must come together to fundamentally re-think how we can guarantee the future of the NHS and social care services.

"The Government cannot avoid this issue any longer. Establishing this commission will show they are serious about protecting these vital public services."

Adrian Walker-Smith
Stroud Liberal Democrats
01453 756771