Unpaid Carer Says Father's End‑Of‑Life Care Exposed a 'Broken' Social Care System — Calls For National Framework

Richard Mourton, an unpaid carer from Peterborough, says caring for his father Alan — who had dementia — exposed a social care system that is hard to navigate and in need of urgent reform. Mourton provided end‑of‑life care at home until his father died last week and is now calling for a national framework to give unpaid carers better training, clearer information and stronger support.

Need For Clearer Information And Practical Training

Mourton described the current system as a “nightmare” to navigate, saying the bureaucracy often drains families who are focused on caring for a loved one. He praised hospice‑at‑home services and the charity Sue Ryder for their help, but warned that many families are left confused and “strung along” by unclear processes.

Andy Burnham told BBC's Laura Kuenssberg he would not want to leave office without bringing in "substantial change" to the social care system [BBC]

“There is so much bureaucracy… you need to focus on caring, but if you are trying to explain the same story to four or five people it's draining,” Mourton said. “I had no clue about providing end‑of‑life care — things like rolling him or preventing pressure sores.”

When his father’s condition deteriorated quickly, a fast‑track process through continuing healthcare helped secure support. Mourton said not everyone is as fortunate to receive timely help.

Proposed Solutions

Mourton proposes:

Richard Mourton said navigating the care system was a "nightmare" [Richard Mourton]

• a central information hub, backed by central government, to give carers a single point of contact;
• local training hubs that teach unpaid carers practical skills for end‑of‑life and daily care;
• better coordination between services so families do not have to repeat their story to multiple agencies;
• consideration of financial support for carers — such as a minimum wage for those who provide full‑time care — to relieve pressure on households and public services.

“Myself and my friends, who looked after our loved ones, we have probably saved the NHS millions of pounds by caring for our individuals,” Mourton said. He added that, while it was his choice to provide care and he would do it again, many people are unable to do so without better support.

Political Context

The comments come as Prime Minister Andy Burnham warned the BBC that “the NHS will collapse” if social care is not reformed, calling the system “broken” and saying he aims to deliver “substantial change,” though he could not commit to a timetable. Burnham is due to make a speech on adult social care this Wednesday.

Richard Mourton is calling for a central information hub to offer training to unpaid carers [Getty Images]

Adult social care provides state support to help people live more independently, including assistance at home, but unlike NHS services it is means‑tested. In England and Northern Ireland, people with savings over £23,250 are not eligible for council help with care costs.

As the debate over funding and structure continues, Mourton says the current moment offers an opportunity to rebuild the system so unpaid carers are better prepared and supported.

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