Members only
The Homecare Association, National Care Forum and Care England welcome the decision by the Rt Hon Baroness Hallett, Chair of the UK COVID-19 Inquiry, to broaden the scope of Module 6. This module will examine the impact of the pandemic on social care across the UK, with public hearings set to start in the summer of 2025.
Baroness Hallett is expanding the investigation beyond just care homes and a narrow definition of homecare. It will now include other groups of people who draw on care and support, such as those with learning disabilities and autism. She is also changing the term "residents" in the provisional outline of scope to "recipients of care".
As core participants in module 6, the Homecare Association, National Care Forum, and Care England made written and oral submissions asking for this change. Other core participants also supported this.
Commenting on the decision, the CEOs of the Homecare Association, National Care Forum and Care England, respectively, Dr Jane Townson OBE, Professor Vic Rayner OBE and Professor Martin Green OBE said:
"We are very pleased Baroness Hallett listened to our concerns and recognised the importance of broadening the scope of Module 6.
We urged the Inquiry to recognise that some groups not covered by the original scope suffered far more than others in the pandemic. Mortality rates for people with learning disabilities and autism were 3-4 times higher than for the general population.
This decision is a positive step towards considering the experiences of everyone affected by COVID-19 in social care settings in the Inquiry. This will increase the chance of learning meaningful lessons to protect those most at risk in the future.
Whilst this broadening of scope is welcome, we’re concerned that Baroness Hallett has stopped short of recognising the impact of the pandemic on those working in and providing services for the people she has now importantly brought into the scope of the Inquiry. Unless module 6 of the Inquiry considers the experience of all those giving and drawing on care and support, there’s a real risk that the Inquiry might repeat the same mistakes and wrong assumptions that harmed the pandemic response”.
ENDS
Contacts
Ella Owens, Policy Specialist – External Affairs
Email - [email protected]
Mobile number - 07393 012 113
Notes to editors
- The Homecare Association is the UK’s membership body for homecare providers, with c. 2,300 members in the UK. Our mission is to ensure society values homecare, and it receives the investment it deserves, so all of us can live well at home and flourish within our communities. The Homecare Association acts as a trusted voice, taking a lead in shaping homecare, in collaboration with partners across the care sector. It also provides hands-on support and practical tools for its members. The Homecare Association's members agree to abide by the Association's Code of Practice.
- The National Care Forum brings together more than 170 of the UK’s leading social care organisations, representing large numbers of care providers, offering thousands of services across the country, which are not for profit and always at the heart of community provision. Collectively, these organisations deliver more than £2.4 billion of social care and support to more than 265,000 people. The NCF membership body collectively employs more than 124,000 staff and 16,000 volunteers. More information is available on the National Care Forum website at www.nationalcareforum.org.uk.
- Care England, a registered charity, is the largest representative body for residential independent adult social care providers in England. Care England members provide a variety of care services, amongst them single care homes, small local groups, national providers and not-for-profit voluntary organisations and associations, as well as private providers, for a variety of service users including older people, those with long-term conditions, learning disabilities and mental health problems. More information is available on the Care England website at https://www.careengland.org.uk/.
