Campaigners are gathering at Parliament today to call on the Government to address the social care crisis.

The rally comes as the Liberal Democrats urged the Government to complete its social care review within the year.

Liberal Democrat health and social care spokesperson, Helen Morgan, said: ‘This is the first time that social care providers have ever felt the need to protest in this way. If that isn't enough of a wake up call for the Government then I do not know what is. This situation is simply unsustainable.'

Liberal Democrats commissioned research from the House of Commons shows the Government has spent almost £50bn to top up social care budgets since the introduction of ring-fenced funding in 2017/18.

The National Care Association said the National Insurance rise introduced in the Budget would ‘create unsustainable pressure on providers' and that the ‘future of social care is in the hands of this Government'.

Care England warned the failure to utilise social care has deepened the NHS bed crisis with systemic failures in assessment, rehabilitation and funding leaving people trapped in hospital unnecessarily.

Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, said: ‘The Government continues to talk about NHS pressures in isolation, ignoring the clear and urgent role social care plays in freeing up hospital capacity. If social care providers were properly funded and resourced, thousands of patients could be discharged safely and quickly, preventing unnecessary decline and ensuring hospital beds are used for those who truly need them.'

Care England is calling for the Government to implement a national strategy that utilises existing care home capacity to ease NHS pressures and introduce a national discharge tariff of £1,500 per week to streamline hospital discharges, saving up to £587m annually.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘We inherited significant challenges facing social care and have taken immediate action, including a £3.7bn funding boost, 15,000 new installations to help disabled people live safely and independently in their own homes, and a £2,300 increase to Carers Allowance.

‘Dame Louise Casey is leading an independent commission to develop recommendations for a National Care Service to provide high quality care for everybody who needs it and help us deliver our commitment to rebuild the sector so that it is fit for the future.'

Lee Peart is editor of Hemming Group’s Healthcare Management magazine.