Dystopian scenes across the country of patients lying for hours on the floors of A&E, queues of ambulances with patients waiting days to be moved to a non-existent ward bed, and medics at breaking point. It’s hospitals that have dominated the nation’s headlines for months.
But experts say that the chaos unfolding in our NHS is a symptom of a much bigger problem. It’s one that will take years - and untold millions - to solve. The future of the NHS is intrinsically tied to that of social care, say doctors on the ground and health service leaders alike.
In January, the government revealed a £200m plan to buy care home beds for the NHS. It’s not going to work, say doctors. They tell the Manchester Evening News why.
