Prime Minister Andy Burnham is set to make a major intervention on social care today, urging political parties to put aside their differences and work together to tackle one of the most pressing challenges facing public services.
Speaking during a visit to a care home, the Prime Minister will argue that successive governments have failed to confront long-standing problems within the social care system, leaving families, carers and the NHS to bear the consequences.
Framing social care reform as a defining political choice, he will call for a more collaborative approach to policymaking, centred on finding practical solutions rather than scoring political points.
In a move designed to build cross-party consensus, Burnham has invited Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey to meet with him today. The discussions are intended to begin work on developing urgent reforms for England’s social care system.
Ahead of his address, the Prime Minister said:
“Last week I said we needed a different kind of politics: problem-solving, not point-scoring. Nowhere is that more urgent than social care.
“For decades, governments have kicked this issue down the road because they’ve seen it as too risky, too difficult, and too complicated.
“Politicians might have different views but I’m serious about fixing this issue and to do that, we have to find common ground and listen to others to find a way forward.
“It’s time to draw a line under people playing politics when the human cost of that means carers struggling, families paying the price and our NHS buckling under the strain.
“This comes down to a choice. We can carry on passing the problem to the next generation, or we can face it head on and work together to build a care system that gives people dignity, security and the support they deserve.
“This is about bringing back hope that we can finally fix the difficult issues that have been ignored for too long, and making Britain believe again.
“That’s why I’m making this choice and I’m prepared to put everything I’ve got behind it.”
The Prime Minister’s speech marks the latest step in the Government’s ambition to overhaul adult social care and lay the foundations for a new National Care Service.
Joining Burnham at the event will be the Health and Social Care Secretary alongside Baroness Louise Casey, who is leading the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care. The commission is expected to develop recommendations aimed at delivering long-term reform and improving outcomes for people who rely on care services.
As part of the initiative, Baroness Louise Casey will also launch the Big Conversation on Care, a nationwide public engagement programme designed to gather views on the future of adult social care in England.
The consultation will be open to members of the public through a dedicated online platform. The first stage will ask people to share their views on the values and principles that should underpin a modern care system, ensuring future reforms reflect the experiences and expectations of those who use and deliver care services.
The Government hopes the engagement exercise will help shape a care system that delivers greater dignity, security and support for individuals and families, while easing pressure on frontline health and care services.
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