Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a major overhaul of social care in England, aiming to reduce the rising number of accident and emergency (A&E) visits made by people aged 65 and older. Speaking on Wednesday, July 29, Mr Burnham outlined his vision for integrating social care with the National Health Service (NHS), focusing on prevention, workforce reform, and sustainable funding.
Rising A&E Attendances Among Older Adults
Mr Burnham highlighted that A&E attendances by over-65s have increased from 3.3 million in 2011/12 to 5.8 million in 2024/25, a rise of 75% over 13 years. He attributed this surge partly to cuts in social care funding between 2010 and 2018, which he estimated led to an additional half a million A&E visits per year for this age group. The Prime Minister described the current system as deeply unfair, stating, "I think social care in England is as unfair as American healthcare. The vulnerable pay with everything and it can completely leave them with nothing."
Core Elements of the Reform Plan
The proposed reforms include lifting the social care workforce by improving pay, training, and job security, and creating career progression routes that integrate with the NHS workforce. Mr Burnham aims to build a system that "allows people to move seamlessly between hospitals, home care and community services," is "fully and sustainably funded," starts with "prevention," and addresses citizens' needs holistically. The Prime Minister stressed the need to work across party lines to tackle what he called "deep-rooted problems in the system."
Political Reaction: Green Party Excluded
Despite Mr Burnham's call for cross-party cooperation, the Green Party was not invited to the talks. MP Ellie Chowns expressed disappointment, saying in a statement: "I have repeatedly called for greater action to fix adult social care, and for increased work across party lines to achieve this aim, because I know that the scale of the challenge before us demands commitment from MPs across the political spectrum if we are to make real progress. It is therefore deeply disappointing that the Green party was not invited to take part in the cross-party talks on adult social care today, despite Burnham’s stated commitment to working cooperatively on this issue."
Long-Term Vision
Mr Burnham's plan represents a root-and-branch change for social care, which he hopes will ultimately reduce pressure on A&E departments. By focusing on prevention and seamless care transitions, the government aims to keep older adults healthier at home and reduce unnecessary hospital visits. The reforms are expected to be a key part of the Labour government's legislative agenda, with further details to be announced in due course.
