Care home residents are ‘barred’ from casting vote
partnership boards made up of key people in health, social care, the voluntary sector, education, local councillors, police, housing, and faith organisations, which will take into account the local knowledge and priorities within an area.
Senior councillor Viv Kendrick said an integrated model represented ‘an investment in and recognition of the importance of early support.’
She added: “This is a fantastic opportunity for us and our partners to work together with all communities to build on and enhance the existing provision that is currently in place, to enable us to provide the right support to those who need it in the right place at the right time.”
CARE home residents are being ‘effectively barred’ from voting in person in the UK’s local elections by guidance that requires them to self-isolate for 14 days after leaving the home, a care group has said.
Guidance from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) says any resident who leaves a care home must isolate for 14 days upon their return.
The guidance states that this is to ensure that residents who may become unknowingly infected do not pass coronavirus to other residents and staff.
The National Care Forum said it is a ‘national scandal’ that residents’ access to the voting booth on May 6 will effectively be restricted.
This group will be feeling that their voices and opinions are ‘less valid and less valuable than the rest of the population’, said the membership body, which represents not-for-profit providers.
Chief executive Vic Rayner said: “The whole experience of voting for the majority of people living in care homes will have been in person, often for many years at the same polling station, going through the motions in a way that is both familiar and a connection to wider society.
“Getting the vote is a rite of passage.
“Losing the right to vote in person is a national scandal.”
Care home residents will be able to register for a postal vote or for a proxy to vote on their behalf.
But Ms Rayner said this should be a choice, and not because other opportunities have been removed.
She added that it ‘should not be acceptable’ that residents cannot vote in their local polling station without having to isolate for 14 days, when the rest of the population is going to the pub, shopping and socialising in gardens.