A care sector campaigner is calling on members of the public to take parliamentary candidates to task on social care pledges during doorstep conversations.

Gillian Ashcroft, founder and chief executive of Exceptional Care, is also seeking a promise from a new government that it will take a cross-party approach to delivering meaningful and urgent change.  

With just days to go to the general election, Ashcroft said current campaigns either offer no new solutions or lack detail and ambition.  

“As the general election approaches, manifestos from major parties fall woefully short on social care policies that could deliver the change people deserve,” she said. “While my focus is on at-risk children and young people, the challenge affects all age groups. Health and social care are critical issues for everyone.”  

She added: “Labour and the Conservatives have proposed ideas we’ve heard before, while the Liberal Democrats’ free personal care plan falls short and would not impact the wider social care system. The Labour Party’s National Care Service lacks funding details. Meanwhile, the Green Party and Reform UK propose interesting ideas, but they are both unlikely to be leading the country after July 4.”