Prime Minister Andy Burnham has outlined his proposals for social care reform, marking his first major policy announcement since taking office. Speaking at Jewish Care in north London to an audience of care workers and media, Mr Burnham described the issue as personal, citing his father's dementia and daily care needs.
The Prime Minister proposed three key changes: bringing forward a review to be completed next year, converging the social care and NHS workforce, and initiating cross-party talks. He confirmed that Kemi Badenoch and Ed Davey had written to him and been invited to participate in these discussions.
Mr Burnham acknowledged the difficulty of the issue, stating that while some costs could be met through efficiency savings, hard choices on tax would be inevitable. He expressed a belief in consensus for tackling significant challenges, hoping that Ed Davey and Kemi Badenoch would engage in the process.