Munira has secured a commitment from the new Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, to meet to discuss social care reforms, as the Liberal Democrats continue to push for full cross-party talks on the issue.

In the House of Commons this afternoon, the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health, Wellbeing and Social Care highlighted the tens of thousands of people who have died from Covid in care homes, as well as the 7 million carers who have seen their mental health worsen during the pandemic.

She asked Javid for a meeting with herself and the party’s Leader Ed Davey to start cross-party work on social care reform, and the Health Secretary agreed.

Following the exchange, Munira said:

“We urgently need to build cross-party agreement on a long-term sustainable future for social care.

As things stand, more than 1.5 million people are missing out on the care they need. People are stranded in hospital, unable to leave because follow-up care just does not exist. The NHS, local councils and unpaid carers are all under huge and growing pressure.

We had repeatedly asked Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock to meet with us and start cross-party work on this, but our pleas fell on deaf ears. I’m glad that the new Health Secretary at least seems willing to talk.

People needing care and their families have been left waiting far too long for the system to be fixed. Liberal Democrats will continue to push for the progress they desperately need.”