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Comment on NHS reforms: Britain needs an integrated health and social care system

By Guest
June 15, 2011 at 2:07 pm

If the aim of the ongoing NHS reforms is – as it should to be – the safeguarding and improvement of patient care, this cannot be achieved without also addressing the ongoing crisis in social care.

What is needed is a much more integrated health and social care system.

With local authorities cutting social care services which are often vital for preventing hospital admissions, it would be short-sighted to ignore the knock-on effect these cuts will have on an already stretched NHS.

Without urgently needed support, the shortfall in social care provision will quickly undermine improvements to the NHS, leaving patients worse off.

Voluntary organisations have an important role to play in providing health and social care to those in need, and the reforms must not squeeze out their skills and expertise.

The pause may be at an end, but we urge the government to continue listening to the experiences of organisations like the British Red Cross who work with some of the most vulnerable people in the country on a daily basis.

This is a guest post by George McNamara, head of public policy at the British Red Cross.

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The Red Cross values comments both complimentary and critical. However, we will not tolerate the following: aggressive or personal criticism of the blogger, breach of copyright, obscene, defamatory, profane, sexually oriented, racially offensive or likewise objectionable comments.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 15th, 2011 at 2:07 pm and is filed under Health and social care, UK. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • Lavishravishin

    Rubbish – too much money involved in NHS….. still care is worst thatn any other place…. its just the slowness of the whole setup…. its better in countries where atleast you can pay and save life…..

  • Anita Smith

    I think the Government should reduce the money paid to the Assilum seekers and give the money to the elderly it is a disgrace that the legal  elderly who have worked all their lives and given to the UK are treated less than those who choose to enter this country illegaly. I will never give to any other country until this country looks after their own. I do however contribute through my church hundreds of pounds worth of help for our local needy, yes there are local peple who are in need.

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This is a guest post. The British Red Cross has a huge number of staff, volunteers and beneficiaries around the world with inspiring stories to share.

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The British Red Cross values comments both complimentary and critical. However, we will not tolerate the following: aggressive or personal criticism of the blogger, breach of copyright, obscene, defamatory, profane, sexually oriented, racially offensive or likewise objectionable comments.

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