Under intense strain
Speaking at a fringe session at the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton, he said implementing the findings of the Dilnot Commission on social care funding would cost £1.7 billion, remarking “you can’t fund it from existing resources because they are under intense strain."
Mr Lamb later told the Health Service Journal (HSJ), “to take £1.7billion off at the same time as you are trying to affect a change in the system and achieve efficiency savings is a big ask."
Papering over the cracks
His comments, reported in the HSJ, follow publication yesterday (24 September) of our report Papering over the cracks: the impact of social care funding on the NHS, which warns of the £2 billion gap in long-term social care funding, and says a failure to resolve the issue will have a severe impact on patients.
The report says the Dilnot Commission's proposals to address the long-term funding challenges are the most credible and practical solution on social care funding and calls for the Government to commit to implementing them.
The NHS Confederation also called for a cross-party political consensus that addresses both the immediate cash shortfall and the need for a long-term funding solution.
Find out more
Download Papering over the cracks: the impact of social care funding on the NHS.
Read the HSJ article in full (subscription required).
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