Fixing social care crisis must be key lesson learned from Covid mistakes, says UNISON
Responding to the Covid inquiry report released today (Thursday), UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:
“The Conservative government’s Covid legacy will be how not to respond to a national crisis.
“Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock should hang their heads in shame for deserting health and care patients and staff during their hour of need.
“Ministers failed to keep thousands of vulnerable people and workers safe. Boasts of a protective ring around care homes were a complete fiction.
“Matt Hancock’s inability to provide enough safety kit, testing and sick pay for care workers had devastating consequences.
“There are important lessons to be learned. Among them, fixing social care must be a top government priority.
“A nationally integrated, fully funded system could have saved lives. And the UK might have avoided one of the worst death rates in Europe.”
Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
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