The RCP has responded to the government's announcement of a new adult social care winter plan.
Professor Andrew Goddard, president of the Royal College of Physicians said: "The new plan for adult social care represents an important step forward, with the appointment of a new Chief Nurse for adult social care – a role that is well overdue – and a financial boost for the Infection Control Fund particularly welcome as we head into winter with the added pressure of COVID-19.
“Social care staff have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, in services that were already woefully underfunded and under resourced. They and the people they are caring for really shouldn’t have had to wait until now to be supplied with PPE from public funds.
“With the upcoming Comprehensive Spending Review, the government has the opportunity to demonstrate that social care is just as important to the nation as health care. The Local Government Association puts the Adult Social Care funding gap at £3.6 billion by 2024/25, so any steps we can take to lessen this are both necessary and welcome.”