Labour will put council care homes in NHS hands if re-elected

Labour leader Ed Miliband has today (April 22nd) announced plans to make the NHS responsible for care homes if his party is re-elected to government in the future.

Currently, such care homes are operated by local councils, but Labour believes putting them in the hands of the NHS will help to save billions of pounds each year.

In his speech, which  took place in Lancashire, Miliband will unveiled research from the Nuffield Trust which shows that the NHS is set to see a £29 billion a year shortfall by 2020 unless changes are made.

He also said: "The NHS will always be a priority for a Labour government, but we must make every pound we spend go further. The changes we propose will save billions of pounds which can be better spent elsewhere."

Miliband also looked to promote what Labour have dubbed "whole person care". This is the idea that physical health, mental health and social care can all be offered together as one service.

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