SOCIAL CARE must not be a “poor cousin of the NHS” under a Labour government, trade unionists demanded today.

Delegates meeting at the union’s annual conference in Liverpool have voted to continue campaigning on behalf of the beleaguered care sector and the people who rely on it to live.

Unison believes that the sector faces a “perfect storm” where the impact of years of underfunding has been worsened by heightened demand and the impact of other cuts on the health, housing and welfare sectors.

It is estimated that 90 people die every day while awaiting care, and 1.4 million elderly people do not receive the care they need.

Despite this, the union congratulated workers whose “dedication and commitment” means that the sector hasn’t “imploded completely,” and voted to fight to unionise millions of care workers who are not yet represented by Unison.

National executive committee member James Anthony said: “Even before austerity, social care was on the brink — privatised, underfunded, fragmented and way down the political agenda.

“The only debate then was about the cost to people’s homes, rather than quality, integrated services.

“It was always the poor cousin of the NHS.

“However, a decade of austerity has now ravaged social care.

“We are seeing huge market failures as private financiers struggle to make a profit, the hedge funds put profits before people and care companies collapse.

“The Tories aren’t even able to set out what they want the options to be for social care.

“We want a well-resourced service, collectively-funded, staffed by high skilled professionals who are supported and paid what they are deserved, delivered by public services and firmly based around the needs of clients.”

“Unison will not let our social care staff down.”

Salford delegate Ameen Hadi said: “The Tory government have shown no interest in solving the crisis.

“They don’t care about social care because they don’t use it — they don’t care about ordinary peoples’ lives.

“We need to take the fight to them, and that we get a Corbyn government that can bring forward a social-care service available freely to all who need it.”