Today in Parliament Hull North MP Diana Johnson called for a new NHS, Social Care and Emergency Services Covenant to safeguard our NHS and Social Care workers.
Inspired by the Armed Forces Covenant this legislation would enshire in law our commitment to provide those in these lifesafing professions the support these deserve.
Diana said: "Never again should these staff face the prospect of needlessly risking their own health, even their own lives, in the course of doing their job through a lack of PPE or failings in testing. The Home Secretary talked about the police covenant in her opening remarks. I hope that the Government will consider instituting a national health, social care and emergency services covenant on similar lines to the existing armed forces covenant?enshrined in law, fully funded and in place as soon as is practicable."
"These workers deserve much more than a hand clap on the doorstep on a Thursday night, a medal or, now, the prospect of a real-terms pay cut. They have been there for us?all of us?and now we need to be there for them."
Read the speech in full here.