Perfect storm has become a greatly overused term, but I make no apology for employing it to describe the plight of adult social care as we head into what now looks certain to be an extremely difficult winter.

It was hugely disappointing that the Chancellor failed in his Budget to recognise the enormous and growing difficulties we face in sustaining services for older and disabled people in the teeth of the worst workforce crisis the sector has ever experienced. It is no exaggeration to say that I do now fear that people will suffer indignity, harm or even worse.