More than 64,000 vulnerable people die awaiting social care

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More than 64,000 vulnerable older people have died awaited a care package since the government announcement it would publish its Social Care Green Paper.

Since the government’s first announcement of its Green Paper on March 8, 2017, the number of over 65s who have died awaiting social care has grown to 64,367, or 77 a day, according to Age UK.

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director of Age UK, said: “No one can say how many might have lived had they received the help they were due.

“But at the very least their final days and hours were less comfortable than they could have been. Many are now openly questioning whether the document will ever see the light of day.

“There are 1.4million older people with unmet social care needs.”

The government has been unable to give a date for the expected publication of the Green Paper amidst ongoing Brexit uncertainty.

Mike Padgham, chair of the Independent Care Group, told the Daily Express: “If the Green Paper is a priority, why has it been delayed for so long?

“There are no excuses. If it is a lack of parliamentary time then get the MPs to work late, do overtime, work on Friday or work into parliamentary recesses, as the rest of us do when we deal with priorities. If they are serious about properly tackling social care they would make time.”

Jayne Connery, director of Care Campaign for the Vulnerable, added: “It is no surprise this government has no end date identified for the production of the Green Paper.

“This is simply not a priority for ministers. Resolving the social care crisis is not a vote winner and therefore to be ignored until the looming social care disaster has reached critical levels.”

The post More than 64,000 vulnerable people die awaiting social care appeared first on Care Home Professional.

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