28Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

PAC report on social care demands lessons are learned

Parliamentary news
Commenting on a Public Accounts Committee report which condemns the “slow, inconsistent and at times negligent approach” to the social care sector during the Covid-19 pandemic, Liberal Democrat MP and member of the committee Sarah Olney said: “The coronavirus has left people worried about their future and mourning loved ones. While we have relied on frontline staff to protect us, the Government's PPE shortages seriously let NHS and care workers down.  "People deserve better. Ministers must read and act on this report before it is too late to prepare for a second wave. That means rapidly upscaling the strategy to test, trace and isolate every case of coronavirus to keep people safe and prevent new surges. "To improve public confidence, the Prime Minister must set out a timetable for the independent inquiry into the Government’s actions. With…
Read More
08Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Yet more lies from PM as he tries to dodge blame for care homes crisis

Parliamentary news
Responding to Boris Johnson's comments during Prime Minister's Questions that "no one knew early on in the pandemic that the virus was being passed on asymptomatically", Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “Yet again, we are seeing more lies from the Prime Minister. He and his Ministers knew about the asymptomatic transmission of this virus, but they still allowed those who hadn’t been tested to enter our care homes. "It was not the case that we didn’t know coronavirus could be asymptomatic, and it is not fair to say that care homes were not following procedures. The truth is there was no protective ring around care homes. "Our social care system was left tragically exposed under Boris Johnson's watch. It is time he stopped trying to dodge the blame. "The…
Read More
03Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government’s claim of protective ring around care homes “completely bogus”

Parliamentary news
Responding to the latest ONS figures showing almost 20,000 care home residents have died with coronavirus, Liberal Democrat Health, Wellbeing and Social Care spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “The devastating scale of the coronavirus crisis in our care homes is heartbreaking. It shows the Government's claim that they had a "protective ring" in place was completely bogus. "We must learn the lessons of this crisis in real time. Alongside adequate protective equipment, routine testing for residents and care workers could not be more important. The Government must ensure every care home has access to regular testing now and for as long as is required to stop more families losing loved ones. "The failure to protect those in care is yet more evidence of the pressing need for an independent inquiry into…
Read More
19May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must get a grip on coronavirus crisis to prevent further deaths

Parliamentary news
Responding to the figures published by the ONS showing that there have been more than 44,000 coronavirus-related deaths in the UK, Liberal Democrat Health, Wellbeing and Social Care spokesperson, Munira Wilson, said: “Hearing that the number or coronavirus-related deaths is now more than 44,000, including 9,980 deaths which took place in care homes in England and Wales, the British public will rightly be appalled.  “The Government has failed to protect some of the most vulnerable people in our society from coronavirus. For Ministers to keep trying to claim they put a 'protective ring' around care homes is not only false, but will be regarded by many as only adding further insult to all those grieving the loss of a loved one. “Government Ministers must now be frank with the British…
Read More
15May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must get a grip on care homes coronavirus crisis

Parliamentary news
Responding to the ONS figures released this morning showing over 12,500 care home residents have died from coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “The figures released today showing that more than 12,500 care home residents have died of coronavirus since the start of the pandemic are incredibly tragic and will horrify the British public. Even worse, the vast majority of these tragic deaths took place in a care home itself, not at a hospital where these people could have received critical care. “The virus has swept through care homes right across England and Wales, where our most vulnerable were being looked after. The Prime Minister must come forward and explain how this dreadful situation has been allowed to happen under his watch. “The Liberal Democrats and…
Read More