Lib Dem Social Care Spokesman Mulholland: Why the Respite Care Guarantee is the Best Deal for Carers

12.00.00am GMT Tue 23rd Feb 2010

Greg Mulholland MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Social Care and Older People has welcomed the announcement by his party leader Nick Clegg that the "Respite Care Guarantee" will appear in the parties manifesto.

Greg has been one of the leading voices throughout this parliament calling for reform to the social care system. He had worked closely with the party leadership and other members of the health team to craft this policy, which Greg thinks represents the fairest deal for carers.

Commenting Greg said:

"Voluntary carers save the NHS approximately £87 billion a year.

"This secret army of carers, without whom social care in this country simply wouldn't function, have been ignored by Labour and the Conservatives for too long.

"The Liberal Democrats are making a firm commitment in our manifesto for a policy which directly benefits the 1 million carers who provide over 50 hours care a week.

"We will take the funds that the Government is proposing to waste on the Free Personal Care at Home Bill and instead use it to provide one weeks respite to those carers caring more than fifty hours a week."