14.02.20
NHS Providers: Social care must be top priority for secretary of state
After the Prime Minister Boris Johnson underwent a reshuffling of his cabinet, and current Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, retained his role, NHS Providers have expressed their belief that social care must now be prioritised.
Responding to Mr Hancock’s retention, NHS Providers Chief Executive, Chris Hopson, said: “We welcome the reappointment of Matt Hancock as secretary of state for health and social care. This new government has made it clear on several occasions that the NHS is its top priority.
“We, of course, welcome that focus from the prime minister and the secretary of state but we need to see social care reform join the NHS at the top of that priority list.
“The commitments made for more nurses, investment in NHS hospitals and equipment and more GP appointments are a step in the right direction towards equipping the health service to meet the growing demand for NHS care.
“We also know that the secretary of state remains passionate about improving preventative care, public health, and boosting the use of technology within the health service to improve patient care.
“But if the NHS is to deliver the scale of the ambition within the NHS long term plan, we need the government to urgently tackle some of the significant issues which impact the way the service operates.
“We need to put social care on a sustainable footing, deliver a multi-year settlement for capital investment across the NHS, and improve performance against key standards by closing the gap between ever-increasing demand and the workforce, services and beds to meet it.
“We look forward to continuing to work constructively with the secretary of state and his team to work towards solutions in the interest of patients, trusts and the wider health and care system.”
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