Andy Burnham is going to have an awful lot on his plate when he moves in Downing Street next week.

I really hope he succeeds. I think that amongst his major priorities should be sorting out social care, perhaps even a movement towards a National Health and Social Care Service.

He will need to be bold because the issue that you have to face head on is how it is all to be funded ? It will be better if he can achieve cross party consensus. Without this, it is all too easy for opposition parties to exploit proposals that involve more taxation.

The truth is that the current situation in which the burden falls entirely on local authorities who no longer have the funding to match increased demand and costs, whilst having to limit council tax rises, is simply not sustainable.

The system has already collapsed in some places and will continue to do so, even here in Hampshire. Local Government Reform won’t go anywhere near to sorting out the problem.

One way or another, the public will have to fund social care, whether through tax or directly paying for it themselves. Of course, not everybody will be able to afford it which begs the question…. how does the country deliver a service that is “free at the point of need” for all.

Whatever Andy Burnham proposes expect a howl of protest from some quarters. His ability to deliver things will depend on his strength of conviction as much as the originality of his plans.