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Today’s @NAOorguk report on the government’s handling of PPE during the #COVID19 pandemic highlights many shortcomings in providing timely and adequate access to essential supplies, especially in #socialcare. https://bit.ly/33gKuHp
It’s clear that #socialcare providers fell by the wayside in the early months and had to rely on their own efforts to ensure their vital services could be delivered safely. @NAOorguk estimates that providers received only 10% of the PPE they needed through govt schemes.
Lack of govt support for accessing PPE has been felt across the sector. Care providers reported high levels of anxiety and stress; worries over financial resilience; and staff absences. And, at least 3,531 care workers have contracted Cov-19.
The social care sector entered the pandemic on its knees after decades of delayed reform and underfunding. Covid has thrown its problems into stark relief and has shown yet again that social care is the NHS’s poor relation. https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/responding-to-covid-19-the-underlying-complexities-of-the-social-care-provider-market
As the second wave continues, the govt must not leave social care floundering alone once more. Social care is not a luxury – it is an essential service that people rely on every day and it is crucial that the sector receives the support it needs to deliver that vital care.
