British Healthcare In Crisis

Jonathan Bruce, Managing Director at Prestige Nursing + Care, discusses the need for politicians to focus on the future of social care.

They say a week is a long time in politics, and the past few have seen the long-term future of British healthcare plunge deeper into uncertainty.

The latest episode of this healthcare crisis was aired in May, with the news that the Social Care Green Paper was not to be published for at least another five months. It had been originally slated for Autumn 2017.

What makes this issue and development particularly worrying is the supposed disagreement on how to fund the plans, between No10, the Treasury and the Department for Health, which has become so wide that there have been rumours that the Green Paper could be dropped permanently. This would be disastrous for all concerned in the care industry.

The change in Prime Minister will only serve to continue the confusion and stagnation surrounding the long-term healthcare plans. Can the new PM really balance the task of getting the care industry out of this crisis while getting to grips with the most important job in the country over the coming months?

Moreover, the next Prime Minister will have their own agenda, ambitions, as well as people in mind to fill Cabinet positions. It’s possible that Matt Hancock won’t remain as Health Secretary beyond this leadership election, as one of his competitors may have brought in someone that aligns more with their beliefs. We have little idea of what the next Health Secretary will do with these Green Paper plans, whether they’ll support them or rip them up and start again.

All this means is that the Green Paper that could do so much good for the industry will fall further and further away from seeing the light, at a time when it is needed the most.

See https://www.prestige-nursing.co.uk to learn more about the health and social care provided by the group.