Sheffield carer petitions Prime Minister over social care crisis

Chris Sterry, who is vice chairman of Families Lobbying and Advising Sheffield, says there is a perfect storm with more people needing care, less money for services and a lack of good provision.

Mr Sterry, who is urging people to sign a petition to the Government, explained: “I am a family carer and I have seen cuts happening for a considerable number of years for my own adult disabled daughter and how that has affected my own health and that of my wife.

“It is not only causing distress for people in need of care, but also affecting their families, whose own health will be deteriorating and who, in time, will also need social and health care.

“Funding is only one element of the social care crisis as good quality care is also a casualty.

“There is an increasing demand for social care but also a substantial lack of people wanting to enter the caring profession due wages not matching the responsibilities, the length of shifts and unsocial hours.”

Mr Sterry says until all social care is well-funded for children and adults, health services will be substantially affected.

“Health funding will need to be increased to compensate for the substantial underfunding of social care. Social care will always be a problem until the funding is sorted and there is consistent good quality care.”

Mr Sterry’s petition is addressed to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock MP, secretary of state for health and social care.

See https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/solve-the-crisis-in-social-care for details.