Working with the social care taskforce

As lockdown eases, the government has introduced a new social care taskforce to lead the next phase of the government’s response to the virus.

Anna McEwen, Executive Director of Support and Development says:

“We welcome the government’s new social care taskforce and look forward continuing to raise issues affecting Shared Lives carers and schemes with key government and sector partnerships. We are committed to contributing to the wider social care sector’s response to the pandemic, and to building a new, stronger and kinder society fit for the future.

Over the past three months, we have been part of several task specific sub-groups and working parties, representing Shared Lives carers and translating the government’s national response into practical guidance that our members: local Shared Lives schemes, carers and Homeshare organisations, can follow. We continue to be part of the advisory groups of the new Taskforce that will be working over the next couple of months.

We know that colleagues in care homes and other care services have worked tirelessly through the pandemic despite struggling significantly with key issues that are also affecting our members – PPE, pay and testing and we continue to raise these challenges with government colleagues. Thankfully infection rates and deaths have been mercifully low in Shared Lives carers’ homes, and we recognise the creative and significant efforts that members have gone to, to enable everyone using Shared Lives to stay safe and well during lockdown.”