08Jun 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Government must urgently tackle NHS and social care staff burnout

Government must urgently tackle NHS and social care staff burnout

Borough news
Responding to the news that workforce burnout across the NHS and social care has reached an emergency level according to the Health and Social Care Commons Select Committee, Liberal  Democrat Spokesperson for Health, Wellbeing and Social Care, Munira Wilson MP commented: “As this report shows, the pandemic has clearly taken its toll on NHS staff, health and social care workers, who have gone above and beyond over the course of this crisis. They are burned out, traumatised, and stressed after over a year caring for hundreds of thousands of severely ill Covid patients. On top of this, they have worked tirelessly to get as many people vaccinated as efficiently and as safely as possible. “The Government not only need to reward them properly for their service with a proper pay…
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25Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
NAO report: Government must begin cross-party talks immediately

NAO report: Government must begin cross-party talks immediately

Parliamentary news
Responding to the National Audit Office (NAO) report into adult social care in England, Ed Davey MP, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: “This damning report shows the Conservative Government’s continued lack of action on social care. For years they have promised to fix the social care system but have done nothing. “Social care in the UK is in crisis. It needs long term funding and planning, yet in the budget this year social care was not even mentioned. It is only thanks to the nine million unpaid carers who tirelessly pick up the slack left by the Government, that many of the most vulnerable are getting appropriate care. “That is why the Liberal Democrats are calling for the Prime Minister to begin cross-party talks immediately and secure the…
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22Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Govt U-turns on unlawful and unnecessary restriction of care rights

Govt U-turns on unlawful and unnecessary restriction of care rights

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Government’s announcement that it will remove part of the Coronavirus Act that reduces people’s rights to care, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: "Watering down the rights to care for elderly, disabled and vulnerable people was unlawful and unnecessary. Far too many families have seen the hardships of lockdown compounded by having the lifeline of care cut off completely. “Liberal Democrats opposed the Government reducing people’s care rights from the very start of the pandemic, and voted against this law in September. So I am glad Ministers have finally accepted that care rights must be fully restored. "However, far too many people are still missing out on the care they need because of the Conservative Government’s failure to give local councils the funding they need.…
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05Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
NHS staff deserve real-terms pay rise

NHS staff deserve real-terms pay rise

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health and Social Care Munira Wilson MP is calling for a real-terms pay rise for NHS workers after going above and beyond in a national crisis: “A real-terms pay cut is an insult to all the NHS workers who have gone above and beyond during this time of national crisis. They are burned out, traumatised, and stressed after over a year caring for hundreds of thousands of severely ill Covid patients. On top of this, they have worked tirelessly to get as many people vaccinated as efficiently and as safely as possible. "Many of us and our loved ones have seen first-hand the hard work and sacrifice that NHS staff have made - not only nurses, but everyone who has kept our hospitals and clinics running.…
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03Feb 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
5p a day increase is an insult to carers

5p a day increase is an insult to carers

Parliamentary news
Reacting to Carers UK delivering a letter from near 5,000 carers calling on the Chancellor to acknowledge unpaid carers’ contribution throughout the crisis, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey MP said: “People looking after loved ones during Covid are doing a remarkable job, in very difficult circumstances. They deserve much more support. “Millions of unpaid carers have faced serious financial hardship during the pandemic, and the Government’s plan for an extra 5p a day is frankly an insult. “That’s why Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to support carers properly, by raising Carer’s Allowance by £1,000 a year immediately, in line with the uplift in Universal Credit. “This awful virus has shown that Britain is a nation of carers, but it seems Ministers haven’t noticed. “Liberal Democrats are…
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25Jan 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Government could have done more for frontline workers

Government could have done more for frontline workers

Parliamentary news
Responding to the news that some front-line occupations are at a higher risk of death, including nurses and care workers, Liberal Democrat Health & Social Care Spokesperson Munira Wilson MP said: “We are in debt to all the front-line workers who have put their own health at risk to fight this virus and keep us safe. Everyone must continue to do their bit and make every effort to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives. “This new data shows the sacrifice that front-line workers have made to protect us all from this terrible disease. It is clear that the Government could have done far more to protect our key workers by providing proper PPE and an effective test, trace and isolate system. "Even now many cases are not…
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10Dec 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats call for Young Carers Action Day

Borough news
Liberal Democrat Councillors will be calling on Oldham Council to mark Young Carers Action Day in 2021. Councillor Hazel Gloster and Louie Hamblett will be proposing a motion to the next full meeting of the Council (Wednesday 16 December) requesting a local event be held in the Borough as part of a new national campaign to recognise and support young carers. Young Carers Action Day will be held on 16 March 2021. It is a new event being organised nationwide by the Carers Trust, replacing a previous annual Awareness Day held on 30 January. Councillor Hazel Gloster, who will be proposing the motion, said: “Research indicates that up to one in five secondary school children may be a carer for grandparents, parents or siblings, and that many of the children…
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04Dec 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Spending review forces inflation busting rises on Council Tax payers to fund essential social care

Borough news, Parliamentary news
The Oldham Liberal Democrats have described the Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s recent Spending Review as “a failure to provide” money needed to build back better public services and a greener Britain after the Covid-19 pandemic.  Responding to the disappointing review, Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said:  “The Chancellor squandered this opportunity to properly support local authorities in these most-troubling times with more finance, and to invest in the health and social care sector and in combatting climate change to help make Britain better after Covid-19. “The Government has failed yet again to address the long-term challenge of sustainable funding for adult social care. The financial responsibility for social care has once again been shifted onto local taxpayers and councils have been given ‘permission’ to raise council tax well…
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26Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Government must raise Carer’s Allowance to support “unseen and undervalued” carers

Government must raise Carer’s Allowance to support “unseen and undervalued” carers

Parliamentary news
Responding to the new report from Carers UK, ‘Unseen and undervalued’, which is published today (26th November) and puts the value of care provided by unpaid carers during the Covid-19 pandemic at £530 million a day, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “Unpaid carers are doing a remarkable and important job in very difficult circumstances. They deserve our support, but as this report from Carers UK shows, carers are unseen and undervalued by this Conservative Government. “Many carers are facing extreme financial hardship during this pandemic. They have been struggling for months, often relying on foodbanks to feed themselves and the people they care for. “That’s why Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to support unpaid carers by immediately raising Carer’s Allowance by £1,000 a year. Liberal…
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26Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Fighting to give carers a voice

Campaigns
The Liberal Democrats are asking people across our community who care for relatives to get in touch and share their story – to mark national Carers Rights Day this Thursday 26th November. Liberal Democrat party leader Ed Davey has said he wants the party wants to be a "strong voice" for the millions across the country – including 22,004 people in the Oldham area who care for those who need it. Ed himself knows the burden put on carers for family members - having been a carer for his mum when growing up and now caring for his disabled son. Carers can get in touch and share their experiences at www.libdems.org.uk/carerssurvey Local Liberal Democrat campaigner, Mark Kenyon said: "Millions of people across the country act as unpaid carers for loved…
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