Calls for a fair and forward-thinking approach to healthcare ahead of this week's Budget

Healthcare figures are gathering this week to put pressure on the Government ahead of this Wednesday’s Budget, with Chancellor George Osborne challenged to make sure fairness is at the heart of any care sector related announcements.

The sector has already learned from Mr Osborne that the Dilnot cap on social care costs of £75,000 will be brought forwards a year to 2016, as well as being lowered to £72,000.

Baroness Greengross, chief executive of the International Longevity centre and campaigner for older people is among those to welcome this news, commenting:

”The Chancellor’s decision to push pension and social care reform forwards quicker than previously announced is extremely welcome. One in three of us will need care in old age so it is vital we progress policy to deliver a better and fairer care funding regime.”

Baroness Greengross also believes there should be more effort to make sure the UK’s various care sectors benefit from each other, saying:

“Care is a life-course issue and ILC-UK urges Government to also focus attention on childcare in this week’s Budget. Getting care right is vital to the economy. When care is unobtainable or unaffordable, it unnecessarily pulls both younger and older people out of the workforce.

“The Chancellor should also use the opportunity of the Budget to announce a review which would consider the potential of extending childcare vouchers to allow their purchase to support the care needs of vulnerable adults.”

However, she is also among those who are keen to see more answers on how spiralling healthcare costs are to be met in the future. She continues:

“The Chancellor must also recognise that one of the biggest challenges, in the context of an ageing society, is future healthcare costs. The Government must respond positively to the recommendations on this issue published in the report of the Lords' Public Service and Demographic Change Committee.

“Overall, it is vital that this week’s Budget is both fair, and perceived to be fair, across the generations. The Chancellor should ask officials to develop a measure to evaluate the overall impact of his Budgets in relation to intergenerational fairness.”

The managing director of Randstad Care, Victoria Short, wants to see the Government recognise that the health sector needs to protect and support its workforce, in order to safeguard quality.

Ms Short comments: “Cuts to healthcare budgets have a direct impact on front-line services and the ability of staff to deliver quality care to the end user. Many choose to enter the care sector in order to help enhance people’s lives, and it’s important that the cons of the job never outweigh the pros if we’re to ensure the future of staff wishing to move into this caring profession.

“Our research shows the UK is already on track to have a shortfall of 61,200 nurses and 10,600 social workers by 2050 so to safeguard the future of the care sector and those who rely on it, more must be done to ensure budgets are not squeezed further."