The Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt recently spoke about the important problem of loneliness amongst elderly people, saying families should do far more to look after their relatives.

I think Mr Hunt has completely overlooked the amazing work more than six million unpaid family carers do in Britain every single day. These unsung heroes, one in five of whom provide more than 50 hours care a week for their loved ones, save the taxpayer billions of pounds yet often get precious little support in return.

Families need a decent care system to help them look after their loved ones, not a Government which criticises them and refuses to take responsibility for its own actions, which have pushed social care to the brink of collapse.

You can read more about this issue and my comments here and here.