Parties sideline social care issues

Social care gets scant treatment in the general election
manifestoes of the three main parties, launched last week.

The Conservatives’ 90 words on social care come under the chapter
entitled “cleaner hospitals”, and none of the three parties have a
section on social care in its own right.

Labour gives the most coverage to social care and social policy in
general, though this is because its 112-page manifesto is
considerably longer than its opponents’ efforts.

The Liberal Democrats’ coverage is minimal, although its commitment
to free personal care for older and disabled people is one of few
clear policy statements on social care.