SOMETHING has gone very wrong with the system of social care in Britain.

Age UK says living in a nursing home in 2017 is “like playing Russian roulette” because too many homes are failing to provide a decent basic standard of care.

Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission have visited 50 homes across the Bradford district this year.

Shockingly, two-thirds were found to be inadequate or required immediate improvement.

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Care providers say they often struggle to recruit and retain good staff. But is that such a surprise when so many carers are paid the minimum wage?

If you are an 18-year-old earning £5.60-an-hour to care for elderly people, who may be suffering from illness or dementia, even a job at a local supermarket must look more attractive.

Care providers need to improve pay and conditions. Social care needs to be a more attractive career with a clearly defined development path and on-going training.

However, without the right funding it should come as no surprise that providers are being forced to make do and mend.

Theresa May has said nothing of substance about social care since the disastrous ‘dementia tax’ plan which almost cost her party the General Election.

With more people living longer, and the number of dementia sufferers growing year by year, the Government needs to act fast before the social care system suffers complete collapse. Elderly people deserve better.