Care leaders seek 'some action' on social care with Boris Johnson's majority win

Boris Johnson’s Conservative party secured a large majority win in the general election, prompting care leaders to demand the Prime Minister makes good on his social care promises.

It was a late night on 12 December with bags under the eyes for many as MPs waited to see if they would be called back to Westminster.

Care minister Caroline Dinenage was among the candidates who held onto their seats.

Caroline Dinenage tweeted this morning “Thank you to the people of Gosport, Lee on the Solent, Stubbington & Hill Head for re-electing me.

"A great privilege to continue as MP for the best constituency in the country! Big thanks to my fantastic team who have worked so hard.”

Health secretary Matt Hancock also won his West Suffolk constituency seat. Matt Hancock, Conservative candidate for West Suffolk, tweeted: ”This new One Nation Government will not let you down.”

The Conservatives needed 326 seats to win but have 365 - a House of Commons majority of 80. Labour has 203 seats.

The SNP took 48, Liberal Democrats 11, the DUP eight, Sinn Fein seven (but do not take their seats), Plaid Cymru four, SDLP two, the Alliance have one and the Green Party one. The Brexit Party did not win any seats.

Martin Green, the chief executive of Care England said: “Now we have a new government with a significant mandate and the ability to pass legislation through Parliament.

"We want to see some action on social care and the Government must give a clear vision for the sector and a proper long-term approach to how it will be funded”.

Election losers included Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn who announced he will stand down as party leader when a successor is selected by the party. Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson embarrassingly lost her own seat representing Dunbartonshire East.

Don’t just focus on ‘protecting housing assets to fund future care’

Dr Jane Townson, chief executive of the UKHCA (United Kingdom Homecare Association) said: “On his first day in office last July, the Prime Minister made a commitment to ‘fix the crisis’ in state-funded social care, with a clear plan “to give every older person the dignity and security they deserve.

“The General election result means that the UK now has a majority government and must deliver on the PM’s promises for social care.”

Dr Townson said the government should not be “simply focusing on older people or protecting housing assets to fund future care costs. It must also respect people’s preferences to live well and independently at home, ensuring affordable and accessible services.”

Need to 'recruit non-British nationals'

With Boris Johnson keen to fulfil his manifesto slogan to ‘Get Brexit Done’, the UKHCA chief executive wants the new government to deliver a migration system that ensures care workers can continue to care for Britain’s ageing population after leaving the EU.

Dr Townson added: “This will need a migration system which ensures that social care and health employers are able to meet the needs of our ageing population. It will require the ability to recruit non-British nationals when the domestic workforce is unable to meet demand."

Dr Rhidian Hughes, the chief executive of the VODG (the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group) has said he looks forward to working with the new government as it promised to build a cross-party consensus to get an answer for social care.

He wants to see the new government 'prioritise a progressive agenda’ that puts disabled people’s lives at the heart of social policy decision-making.

Dr Hughes said: “In its manifesto, the Conservative Party stated that, because social care is a “long-term problem” the party will “build a cross-party consensus to bring forward an answer that solves the problem, commands the widest possible support, and stands the test of time.

"VODG stands ready to hold the government to account on this pledge. “Now is the time to find solutions that enable older and disabled people to have full choice and control over their lives."