Paul Burstow accuses Treasury of trying to "smother" care reform

The Coalition’s former Care Services Minister, Paul Burstow, who lost his position in the recent Government reshuffle, has raised tensions over the issue of long-term care funding by claiming that the Treasury is eager to “kick the can down the road despite our rising elderly population”.

Long-term funding was a notable absence from the Care and Support White Paper, published by the Government in July, at which time Health Secretary Andrew Lansley told the House of Commons that the issue had been delayed until next year’s Spending Review.

Although welcoming towards the rest of the care reforms announced by the Health Secretary, leading care sector voices were united in criticism of this key addition being absent, with charity director general of Age UK, Michelle Mitchell, warning that “potential cannot be fully realised until the Government faces up to and resolves the crucial issue of funding”, while director of policy at Independent Age, Simon Bottery, said that “older people can’t afford to wait another moment longer for the care system to be reformed”.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Burstow may have added fuel to the fire and brought into question the Coalition’s commitment to fulfilling the reforms outlined by the Dilnot Commission, which was set up as soon as the two parties came into Government in 2010.

Burstow writes: “It is still far from certain that the Coalition has the political will to grasp this historic opportunity.

“But why speak up now? Simply because I fear the Coalition could be tempted to put care financing back in the ‘too difficult to do’ drawer.” Burstow goes on to say of the Treasury’s contribution: “There's no sense of urgency. No recognition that left unreformed there is no incentive for families to plan and prepare.”

The outgoing minister also warns against considering the option of a voluntary cap on care costs, if such an option is put forward by the Treasury, and calls upon ministers to take an innovative approach to the financial challenges involved, with funding success likely to “be a legacy for this Government felt for generations. It would set the seal on a long overdue, comprehensive and genuinely popular reform of care and support in this country”.

Burstow concludes by challenging party leaders David Cameron and Nick Clegg to lock horns with the Treasury over the issue: “The question now is will David Cameron and Nick Clegg take on the Treasury orthodoxy and deliver a fair funding system that gives every family in this country peace of mind?”

Image: courtesy of Liberal Democrat photostream; Clegg Speech 44 (from Alex Folkes/Fishnik Photography)