The Lib Dems and I have called on Surrey County Council to stand up to the Government over its failure to deliver the previously promised reform of the social care system.

My Lib Dem colleagues and I have tabled a motion to the County Council’s next meeting on 13th July demanding that the Council continues to put pressure on the Government and Surrey’s MPs to honour their pledge to tackle the crisis in social care.

In Boris Johnson’s first speech as Prime Minister in July 2019, he promised to fix the crisis in social care once and for all.  However, to date, no action has been taken or plan announced.

Leaders of social care organisations from across the country are so concerned that last month they wrote to the Government urging them to act now on reform of England’s social care system and publish its proposals before the summer recess.

The Government and Surrey’s MPs need to finally make good on their promise to fix social care.  That is why we are urging Surrey County Council to redouble its lobbying efforts and call for the Government to find a sustainable solution to the crisis in adult social care which currently leaves many vulnerable residents without the support they need whilst others face catastrophic costs.

We urgently need a cross-party agreement on a long-term sustainable future for social care.  As things stand, more than 1.5 million people are missing out on the care they need. People are stranded in hospital, unable to leave because follow-up care just does not exist, resulting in the NHS, local authorities like Surrey and unpaid carers being put under even greater pressure.

Following Matt Hancock’s recent resignation and Sajid Javid becoming the new Health and Social Care Secretary, now is the time for Surrey Councillors to demand action.