Fiona Phillips' husband, Martin Frizell, shared a rare photograph of the former GMTV presenter on Wednesday as she continues her battle with Alzheimer's disease. Frizell expressed hope that Prime Minister Andy Burnham's renewed focus on health and social care reform could bring significant improvements for individuals suffering from the condition.
Burnham, on Wednesday, addressed what he described as a "major dereliction of public duty" by politicians for failing to resolve the country's social care crisis. He announced the acceleration of Louise Casey's review of social care, which is now slated to report next year. Frizell shared the image of Phillips enjoying breakfast at home, noting that the Prime Minister, who has personal experience with Alzheimer's through his father, could be a transformative figure if he delivers on his promises.
"For decades no-one listened, dementia became the poor relation to cancer and yet it's our biggest killer," Frizell stated in his post. He highlighted the significant impact a dementia diagnosis has on family life and questioned the affordability of proper treatment, suggesting that the urgency of the situation would compel people to support increased contributions to a care system.
Frizell has been an advocate for improved government policy to support Alzheimer's patients and their families since Phillips was diagnosed four years ago. She was 61 when she received the diagnosis of the progressive, incurable brain disorder.
Prime Minister Burnham acknowledged that blame for the lack of social care reform lies with "my generation of politicians" for not adequately addressing the challenges posed by an aging society and systemic inequalities. He indicated that transforming social care might be achievable within existing resources, particularly through workforce improvements, but also acknowledged that some necessary changes would require difficult decisions that would be presented to the public.
The Prime Minister committed to adhering to Labour's existing manifesto pledges, which do not include raising income tax, National Insurance, or VAT during the current parliamentary term. He also suggested that resolving the social care crisis could lead to savings within the National Health Service, estimating that approximately £2.5 billion is spent annually on hospital beds occupied by patients medically fit for discharge but awaiting community care. Burnham further pointed out that the absence of preventative social care services, which could stop individuals from requiring hospitalization, costs the NHS "several billion pounds a year."
Burnham stated that in an "ideal world," individuals would not be required to sell their homes to fund their care, describing the process of children taking power of attorney and managing parental finances as "horrendous" and noting that assets are often depleted by care that may not meet desired standards.
Reflecting on his previous attempt at social care reform as Health Secretary, Burnham explained that the efforts were likely initiated too late in the parliamentary cycle. This experience, he said, informed his decision to accelerate Louise Casey's review, aiming to address the issue earlier and away from election cycles.
Frizell recently spoke about the "wretched" effects of his wife's condition, detailing how she no longer remembers significant dates like Valentine's Day or Christmas. He described watching her "slip away" and the loss of dignity associated with the disease, noting the emotional toll it takes on him as a caregiver. Despite these challenges, he praised Phillips for her resilience, describing her as "the world's most stubborn woman."