Protect care workers and help save lives

It’s wonderful to see care workers finally getting the public recognition their commitment and professionalism deserve.

As COVID-19 continues to dominate our headlines and lives, they are now rightly applauded for being the first line of defence in saving the NHS by protecting vulnerable people and keeping them out of hospital.

The circumstances in which carers are carrying out that role couldn’t be more stressful. Day and night, they turn up for work knowing they risk being exposed to the virus but also aware that what they are doing is literally saving lives and that vulnerable people are depending on them.

That’s why they need adequate personal protective equipment and why I believe it is unacceptable that getting sufficient PPE supplies remains a considerable and time consuming issue. That has to improve – and quickly. I appreciate this has been a very fast-moving situation but social care staff need to be confident the supply will be there for them throughout this crisis. They have enough challenges to face without having to worry about that as well.

Like everyone else, I value the NHS teams fighting this pandemic. They are doing an amazing job and fully deserve our heartfelt gratitude. The same is true of the many thousands of people working just as hard in social care. This is a partnership in which we are all playing our part.

We’ve under-valued today’s frontline workers for far too long yet, when we needed them most, they have stepped up to the plate and are more than proving their worth. Let’s not forget that dedication and resilience when all this is over and reward them – not just with words but proper funding too.