As we move into our fourth week of lock down I am increasingly concerned about the lack of planning by the government. At every stage of this crisis it has felt like the government has not got a plan and it is costing lives. It’s possible they are just being secretive but the lack of transparency has not served us well so far, which is why I believe it is right that the Labour leader Keir Starmer is right to call for the government to plan for when lock down ends – if they refuse to do so they are letting the country down.
In the meantime however, our NHS staff, council staff, care workers and even local funeral directors are putting themselves at risk to provide care. They have the right to do so safely. The government has completely failed to plan even for this.
This is hitting us close to home – here is what council leader Jason Brock has to say:
“I have personally visited Council staff at the Civic Offices co ordinating the distribution of PPE locally, and they are doing a magnificent job under very difficult circumstances, as are our social care staff and healthcare professionals across Reading. That does not take away from the fact that at this time the Council is having to plan for the PPE needs of its own social care staff, and the urgent requests for PPE from healthcare partners – including local care homes, GPs, pharmacies and funeral directors – where they cannot source PPE elsewhere. That planning just cannot be done unless we have the security of knowing when the next PPE delivery will arrive.“
Our Trade Unions are at the forefront of calling for proper PPE – please sign the GMB’s petition to support their call.
