Andy Burnham has pledged to fix England's broken social care system, a promise that resonates deeply with families like Guardian journalist Heather Stewart's. She first realised something wasn't quite right with her mum nine years ago, and soon found herself navigating a system she describes as maddening and unfair.
A system that forces families to sell everything
The current system often forces people to sell almost everything they own, simply because they develop dementia or another condition requiring round-the-clock care that doesn't need hospital treatment. Heather was in Liverpool watching live as the prime minister announced plans for a National Care Service.
“I think anyone who has a parent in that situation would feel moved by it,” she tells Helen Pidd.
'Like a bomb going off'
“It's like a bomb going off in the middle of your family without having to think about the financial side of it,” says Heather. She explains how hard it can be for families to navigate the eye-watering costs of care, and why politicians have not managed to reform the system despite years of promises.
