A senior member of the House of Lords has accused the UK Government of using social care workers for cynical propaganda purposes after failing to distribute a special badge to 99 per cent of those eligible to receive it.
Lord Rogan of Lower Iveagh
On 15 April, Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock told a Downing Street news conference that social care workers would be given green badges emblazoned with the word ‘CARE’ to allow them to access the same "recognitions and benefits" as NHS staff.
He said: “This badge will be a badge of honour in a very real sense, allowing social care staff proudly and publicly to identify themselves, just like NHS staff do with that famous blue and white logo.”
However, in response to a Parliamentary Written Question tabled by Ulster Unionist peer Lord Rogan, Health Minister Lord Bethell admitted that only “around 15,000 badges have been distributed” in the 10 weeks since Mr Hancock’s high profile announcement.
This amounts to just one per cent of the current 1.5 million adult social care workforce.
Lord Rogan said he was “appalled” by the UK Government’s “cynical and shallow tactic” which demonstrated “total disrespect” for social care workers.
He commented: “The sight of Matt Hancock brandishing a ‘CARE’ badge at that press conference in the early weeks of lockdown was regarded by many at the time as a cynical exercise designed to distract from the UK Government’s failure to protect care home professionals and residents from Covid-19.
“That is precisely what it has turned out to be.
“Social care workers did not ask for a badge all of those weeks ago, they asked for adequate supplies of PPE and access to proper tests.
“It’s now clear that the vast majority of social care workers received none of these.
“This should be a matter of shame and embarrassment for the UK Government in general and Mr Hancock in particular.”