The government has betrayed those who were on the frontline of the pandemic

In his recent appearance in front of the Covid inquiry, Jeremy Hunt admitted that the NHS needs to get “better on workforce planning”. While this is in no doubt true, it is disappointing to see a continued lack of focus on the issues in social care. The sector is facing a huge funding shortfall and 165,000 vacancies.

The ongoing deprioritisation of social care is a betrayal of the hardworking, skilled individuals who were on the frontline of the pandemic and continue to provide essential care and support for older and disabled people. Social care is as invaluable and deserves the same respect as the NHS. Yet the government has cut £250 million from promised funding to support its workforce.

The NHS simply cannot function without social care. The government must benchmark minimum care worker pay with NHS Band 3 (including therapy assistants, pharmacy assistants, and administrative workers) and must provide the necessary funding for local authorities and social care providers.

A larger, better-paid social care workforce comes with costs, but it’s an investment in people – both in rewarding and retaining a dedicated workforce and in providing people with the support they require to live happy and healthy lives.

Rachael Dodgson

Chief Executive at not-for-profit support provider Dimensions

Jane Dalton’s article on the mental health of healthcare workers during the pandemic is distressing to read. It shows just how damaging moral injury can be for doctors’ mental health. Worryingly, research seems to suggest this extends beyond the pandemic.

Doctors must have access to specialist support when they need it most. Without this more doctors will become disillusioned or suffer in silence with severe mental health issues – both of which put the safety of themselves and potentially their patients at risk. Many others will leave the profession resulting in a loss of expertise and even more pressure on stretched resources.

Dr Sabira Hughes

London

So, after 13 years of economic failure and a kamikaze budget that crashed the economy, the Tory government will now oversee mortgage rates skyrocketing for the average homeowner, again!

Surely the latest rise in interest rates proves that the Tories no longer care for hard-working people. After all, the rise is unlikely to affect their millionaire donor friends in the richest one per cent.

Which means there is a clear choice for the general election.

Either intervention to fix the economy and create long-term sustainability under Labour or another recession leading to more job losses, more mortgage misery, higher interest rates, and higher rents for the rest of us under Rishi Sunak and the Conservative Party. A party so divided he daren’t even show his own MPs some proper leadership.

Geoffrey Brooking

Hampshire

So David Cameron is proud that his wife convinced him to allow gay couples to marry.

He clearly forgets the damage Margaret Thatcher did in 1987 with Section 28. Moreover, he forgets that the equality act was voted through in spite of the Conservative Party. Embarrassingly for David Cameron, he failed to get a majority of his own MPs to support the move. 139 Tories, including two cabinet ministers, rebelled against the government with just 132 supporting the measure. There were 75 abstentions.

Let us not forget the damage the Tories did with Section 28, and definitely not allow Cameron to think he did something wonderful for gay people.

Clearly, he seems to live with rose tinted glasses on, and that’s all before he blundered Brexit and chickened out of sorting the mess.

Ken Twiss

Cleveland