Plea to PM over care crisis

Labour spokesperson for care and older people Liz Kendall MP has said the crisis in care for older people has been made worse by the Coalition budget cuts.

Labour spokesperson for care and older people Liz Kendell has accused the government of being "completely out of touch with the scale or urgency of the crisis in care." She said:

A Department of Health spokesman said:

A group of 78 charities and campaign groups have told the Prime Minister in an open letter to the Daily Mail that a postcode lottery of access to care is leaving many elderly people in "quiet desperation".

Ahead of this weeks Queen's speech the charities have urged Mr Cameron to make social care reform his "personal mission" and said there was widespread support "across society and the political spectrum".

Thousands of unpaid carers are suffering health and career problems because of the pressure to look after sick or disabled family members without help. The report for Carers Trust found it's caused depression, anxiety and nervous breakdowns in six out of ten carers. Gregg Easteal reports.

Dr Moira Fraser from the Carers Trust says if carers get the support they need they'll be able to care for longer and that leads to a better result all round.

Anne Roberts, chief executive of Carers Trust, which works to improve services and support for unpaid carers, said:

Nearly 60% of unpaid carers polled by the Carers Trust said the strain of looking after a loved one had affected their mental health - the same amount said it had harmed their working life. Around two-thirds said they had never accessed any support or services such as counseling or respite breaks.

The Carers Trust says there are approximately six million carers in the UK looking after unwell or disabled friends or family. It says many find the physical and mental strain of caring has a huge impact, leaving them feeling isolated and without a place to go to seek help and advice

Carers Trust survey of 500 unpaid adult carers found that:

• 59% carers said their role had a negative impact on their working life
• 58% said that their mental health has been affected by being a carer
• 27% said both their physical and mental health had been adversely affected by their role

Thousands of unpaid carers are suffering health and career problems because of the struggle to look after sick or disabled family members without help. Nearly six out of 10 of those polled by the Carers Trust said the strain of looking after a loved one had affected their mental health. .