A survey by the Department of Health reveals that over 70 per cent of people believe that the government has not got the right policies for social care.
Public Perceptions of the NHS and Social Care is a regular survey that provides a useful check on public sentiment and experience relating to the NHS and social care. The study has been running at regular intervals since spring 2000. It is commissioned by DoH and conducted by Ipsos Mori.
The survey highlights the growing pressure on social care services. With further local government budget cuts to follow, it signals an impending crisis in social care and the risk that this will undermine the performance of the NHS.
Richard Humphries, Senior Fellow at The King’s Fund said: “It is significant that nearly half the money allocated from the NHS budget to improve joint working between health and social care is being spent on propping up existing services and mitigating the impact of budget cuts. Using NHS funding as a sticking plaster does not address the pressures facing social care.”