Catholic peer urges government to release true Covid death figures, establish National Care Service
Lord Alton
Lord Alton of Liverpool has appealed today for the government to urgently release details of Covid deaths in Care Homes and support their staff. With thousands dying, he writes on his official website, that Parliament is "missing in action."
Quoting from a report in the Liverpool Echo which describes how 10 frail and vulnerable people have died in one care home in the city's Wavertree district, Lord Alton says: "The death toll at Wavertree's Oak Springs is truly shocking and it is worse than absurd that all deaths from Coronavirus- and especially those from Care Homes - are not counted in the published figures.
"Their deaths are diminished by being out of sight and out of mind but not for their grieving loved ones."
He adds: "Prisons should be told to publish their figures and the only way in which we will be able to assess the numbers of others who are dying at home (and who have not been formally diagnosed) is to compare the equivalent numbers from preceding years by age group. Those figures should be regular published too.
"If, a National Care Service emerged from the wreckage of Covid19 it would represent a gain amongst so much loss, comparable to the gain of the National Health Service in 1945.
"Although, in the present circumstances of lockdown, it is clearly impossible for Parliament to be physically convened, it is nonetheless vital that Government is held to account.
"Ministers should be called to answer by both Houses of Parliament. Oral Questioning should be made available online."
Lord Alton writes: "Over a week ago I wrote to the House authorities asking that Members should be allowed to table Written Questions - as they can when the House is sitting. This requires no new technology and it should and could be done immediately.
"At the outset of this pandemic I suggested that a Joint Commission of both Houses should be established, comprising Select Committee Chairs and senior backbench Parliamentarians, able to articulate the concerns and suggestions of their colleagues. It's high time this happened.
"For now, as thousands die, Parliament is missing in action."
LINKS
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/were-scared-brave-carers-battling-18057143
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Print
Email
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
LinkedIn
Pinterest