Govt proposals for care reform 'sound fantastic'

Government's plans for a National Care Service have received significant praise from a leading older person's charity.

The white paper published earlier this week announced that the Labour Party plans to make social care free for anyone who needs it through mandatory contributions from all taxpayers.

Reform on this scale "sounds fantastic", according to Michelle Mitchell, charity director for Help the Aged and Age Concern.

Almost everyone agrees with a system that guarantees flexible support and earlier help for all, Ms Mitchell claims.

"Now that the white paper is published, older people and their families will be looking to see what reforms the other political parties can offer to fix our broken care and support system," Ms Mitchell said.

However, it is important that the government now makes it clear how much this reform will cost and how it expects to fill the £1.75 billion "black hole" in social care funding that is about to open up, Ms Mitchell concludes.

The Alzheimer's Society earlier declared that the proposals gave the charity hope that sub-standard care will soon be a thing of the past.

Find the nearest Barchester care home.