Counting The Cost Of Caring For The Elderly

Providing care for the rising number of elderly residents is a problem that needs urgent attention, the director of Hertfordshire’s adult care services has warned. Responding to the Local Government Association’s (LGA) survey on cost shunting from the NHS to local authorities, Sarah Pickup says adult social care funding needed to be addressed immediately.

She said: “We have an ageing population and costs are spiralling so the issue needs to move up the agenda. We need more support from central government and that has to come now, not later.

“It is true that in places like Hertfordshire, financial problems faced by the NHS have had a knock-on effect for local authorities. But it would be unfair to criticise the NHS for this. As the LGA’s survey points out, social care and health are two sides of the same coin due to the significant work we do in partnership.

“Indeed we have good relationships with the local NHS and continue to work together to ensure residents continue to receive the best care possible.

“The Government is conducting a comprehensive spending review which is due to conclude soon and I sincerely hope that social care will feature prominently.”