There’s no doubt that help, in the form of additional resources for social care, is desperately needed. However swift, and in whatever form (it might be new money; it might be distributed within days to help out at A&E…), we do know that whatever it is it will not be enough.

I must make it clear that the Association of Directors of Adult Services (ADASS) members everywhere will be delighted if any new funds can be found and made available for people who have been unacceptably delayed in their progress through the hospital system. Or unnecessarily admitted via A&E when they needn’t have been.

ADASS has argued long and hard for it. I do not yet have the full picture as to how much of the recent allocation of £700m – for example – came to social care, but we do know that it was a very small proportion and nothing like the 26.5% that would have been a reflection of the attributable delays.