Different parts of the health and social care system, each with their own qualifying criteria and specialisms, remain too focused on what is and isn’t their responsibility – to the detriment of vulnerable elderly people. This needs to change, writes Craig Dearden-Phillips

One recent Friday evening, as part of my research for this The MJ piece, I took the train for an evening drink with a social work manager to chew over some issues. She was on emergency duty, which meant that any urgent social care incident in the city that evening went straight to her mobile.

Ten minutes in, and the phone duly rang. It was the local hospital. A 91-year-old woman with dementia – let’s call her ‘Eileen’– had been brought in by paramedics who were concerned about some bruising on her leg. They had been called by paid carers who had put Eileen to bed but then had to rush off to their next call.