How do we fix problems in social care?

Sue Marshall said she became "exhausted" fighting for funding and support for her mother, Margaret

A woman who cared for her mother for nearly nine years has called on politicians to fix England's social care system.

Sue Marshall, from Worcestershire, said her long fight to secure nursing care for her mother Margaret had taken an emotional and financial toll.

Mrs Marshall is one of thousands of people who who got in touch with the BBC via Your Voice, Your Vote to share their views ahead of the election.

BBC Hereford & Worcester asked West Worcestershire's parliamentary candidates what they would do to reform the system.

"Healthcare isn't run by doctors anymore, it's run by managers," Sue Marshall said.

An only child and mother of three, Mrs Marshall cared for her mother Margaret Emmett after she was diagnosed with two brain tumours.

But following a serious fall in 2007 she required nursing care.

"The consultants were absolutely adamant that she had to have nursing care, because she was basically terminally ill... and that they should be paying continuing care for her.

"But when it came to it… no one would agree that she would have that. The council wouldn’t, the [NHS] panels wouldn’t.

"I was exhausted."

Sue Marshall's mother Margaret died in 2011 aged 85

At the moment anyone with savings of at least £23,250, or who owns their own property, is not entitled to help with the cost of care.

But continuing healthcare - funded by the NHS - can cover the cost for people with complex medical conditions.

Despite repeated appeals, Mrs Marshall said her mother was only ever offered three months of funding at a time. Instead, the bulk of her care costs were met from her pension and the sale of her flat.

"I couldn’t understand when, as a single parent, there wasn’t any support coming for her in her old age when she was ill."

'Families caught in middle'

"We will often see the local authority and the NHS debating about who picks up the tab," said Simon Patient, managing director at Heritage Manor, a group of residential and nursing homes.

"It's a funding battle... and families are often caught in the middle."

"Really what we need is a more joined-up system, where adult social care and NHS interests are more closely aligned to the interests of Sue’s mum."

Last month, more than 50 organisations and 24,000 people signed an open letter calling on political parties to do more to support the social care sector.

The introduction of an £86,000 lifetime cap on costs, set out by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, was postponed by two years in 2022, due to concern over staffing and financial pressures.

But Mr Patient said reducing the burden on families would only shift more financial pressure onto local authorities.

"They have been hugely constrained in their funding, which means they have not been able to meet the inflationary costs of care," he said.

"Unless – alongside this care cap – there is a massive funding injection, it’s not going to be workable."

Political promises

The BBC's Your Voice, Your Vote aims to bring the issues that matter to people to the attention of general election candidates

So, what would West Worcestershire's parliamentary candidates do to reform social care?

Conservative Harriett Baldwin said her party was committed to introducing a cap on the amount families would pay on care. This is due to start in October 2025.

Labour candidate Kash Harron did not respond, but his party has confirmed it will not disrupt these plans. Labour has also pledged to form a National Care Service.

Liberal Democrat Dan Boatright-Greene said more support was needed to ensure people could remain independent in their own homes. His party has pledged to introduce free personal care to older and disabled people at home.

Natalie McVey, Green candidate, said an "overhaul" of the entire health and social care system was needed. The Greens have also promised to introduce free personal care.

Reform UK candidate Chris Edmondson declined to be interviewed. Reform has said it would cut income tax for all front line social care staff to zero for three years.

Party of Women candidate Seonaid Barber said her party would get rid of the "ideological capture" that single sex spaces and services did not matter.