Paul Burstow appointed care services minister

Liberal Democrat MP Paul Burstow has been appointed as the minister for care services, Community Care can reveal.

He said he was “delighted” to have an opportunity to shape social care policy and had already met with the Department of Health’s director general of social care, David Behan, “to start the ball rolling”.

He added that his top priority would be building a sustainable funding system for long-term care. He said: “Coalition government offers probably the best chance in a generation to start fixing the system so it serves the interests of people who need care and support.”

Burstow, formerly the Liberal Democrats’ chief whip, has a long record of interest in issues including adult protection, dementia and social care funding. He has previously been a member of the all-party parliamentary group on dementia and the health select committee and has held the post of Lib Dem shadow health secretary.

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