The King’s Fund says the government must avoid a social care ‘doom loop’ of increasing costs and falling provision.

 Isabel Lawicka, director of policy and strategy, NHS Providers, said:

“A sustainable, well-funded social care sector is vital to delivering care to all those who need it.

 “The NHS and social care are two sides of the same coin and trust leaders believe greater investment in social care should be a key priority for the government. Greater investment is needed to ensure social care staff are fairly rewarded for the vital work they do without adding pressure onto already stretched local authority finances and leaving people without the care they need.

 “Social care can cannot be kicked down the road any longer. Successive governments have dodged difficult decisions on social care reform with huge knock-on effects for the NHS.

 “NHS trust leaders hope that the new independent social care commission will quickly get to grips with the deep-rooted challenges faced by social care services with measures to support people to keep well and independent at or close to home.”