THE MONSTER OVER THE HILL – THE CARE CRISIS LOOMS. DILNOT TO LEAD JUNE 7 DEBATE.

DR ROS ALTMANN
DIRECTOR-GENERAL, SAGA
PRESS RELEASE

June 6, 2011

THE MONSTER OVER THE HILL – THE CARE CRISIS LOOMS.

DILNOT TO LEAD SAGA'S SEMINAR IN SEARCH FOR SOLUTIONS.

Some of the most informed, visionary and influential people in social care will gather in London on Tuesday, June 7, 2011, in a bid to tackle the looming UK care crisis - the monster over the hill.

Andrew Dilnot, chairman of the Government’s Commission into Care Funding, will lead the debate at the Saga Care Crisis Seminar, which will be chaired by Dr Ros Altmann, Director-General of over-50s organisation Saga, and attended by a selection of the most senior care sector influencers.

“History is littered with ‘told-you-so’s’ – those of us who have a frontline appreciation of care issues are screaming that there’s a monster over the hill, but the policymakers either don’t see it, or are so dumbstruck by the magnitude of the threat that they’re frozen to the spot, and unable to respond or react,” said Dr Altmann.

“The care issue is invisible to many, but monstrous to those with direct care sector contact. The combined expertise and brainpower around that table on Tuesday knows that a care catastrophe is fast – and relentlessly – approaching.

“It is essential that we move on with reform of care funding – quickly and decisively - before we are overwhelmed. If we believed the pensions crisis was crippling, the care crisis has the potential to be far, far worse.  If someone does not have enough pension, they may be able to wait a bit.  But once someone needs critical care, they cannot wait at all.

“Very few people have earmarked any money for care needs. They just hope someone will look after them if the need arises. At least with pensions most people have done some saving, but, when it comes to care, there is no private provision - people just have to find the money at the time, and this can mean losing all their assets.

“The seminar will generate some definitive and do-able solutions, because, frankly, in the past, policymakers have come up with very little, have disguised petty political differences as insurmountable operational and organisational issues, and simply failed to make progress. Time is now running out in more ways than one.

“The crisis is creeping up on us. We must recognise the potential for the issue to overwhelm the system before it’s too late.”

Ends

Further information:

Dr. Ros Altmann
Director-General, Saga
ros.altmann@saga.co.uk
07545 504513
Twitter @SagaRosAltmann

Iain Macauley
im@pressrelations.co.uk
07788 978800
Twitter @Press_Relations