The government’s Christmas Eve announcement that it will relax immigration rules for care workers – to bolster a sector double hit by the pandemic and Brexit and left struggling to keep and attract staff – has been denounced as “a sneaky admission of failure” by the Labour party. High vacancy rates and staff turnover is […]
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Matt Hancock and Priti Patel have been referred to the Serious Fraud Office for their roles in awarding PPE contracts. The prime minister’s longstanding advisor Munira Mirza has also been referred to the SFO along with the home secretary and former health secretary by the Good Law Project They claim to “have uncovered evidence that […]
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The prime minister has backed his health secretary over revelations Matt Hancock breached Covid rules by kissing his aide. Boris Johnson’s spokesperson said the PM “considers the matter closed” after Hancock apologised for breaching social distancing rules after the Sun published images of Hancock embracing Gina Coladangelo. The PM’s spokesperson declined to comment as to […]
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The chief medical officer for England has warned “a lot more people will die” if the government lifts lockdown restrictions too soon. Chris Whitty told MPs on Tuesday (March 9) that despite the vaccine roll-out he expected a “significant” and “substantial” surge in Covid infections given there is “nothing to suggest the virus is going […]
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Health secretary Matt Hancock acted unlawfully by failing to publish details of multibillion-pound coronavirus contracts awarded by the government, a High Court judge has ruled. Mr Justice Chamberlain said Hancock had “breached his legal obligation” by failing to publish details of the contracts within 30 days, adding the public has a right to know where […]
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Doctors and soldiers have been put on notice to prepare for a national immunisation and mass testing drive across the UK following yesterday’s announcement of a coronavirus vaccine. Some 1,500 GPs and drive-through centres will deliver “at least 1,000 jabs a week” of the Pfizer and BioNtech vaccine from December 1, with health officials saying […]
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A patients’ charity has accused parliamentary authorities of censorship following the rejection of a petition highlighting the reduced level of NHS care for non-Covid patients during the pandemic. Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) – a widely respected charity for patient safety and justice – submitted the petition two months ago and said lives have been […]
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Matt Hancock’s plans to scrap Public Health England (PHE) is a “desperate attempt at blame shifting” for the government’s coronavirus failings, critics have said. The government has been accused of trying to “scapegoat” the organisation for their own failings in dealing with the pandemic after reports emerged that the health secretary will announce this week […]
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The government is considering introducing an age-tax on over-40s to help fund the UK’s crisis-hit social care sector. A report that ministers are studying radical plans to hike tax or national insurance contributions for people aged over 40 has caused outrage after the Guardian claims the new plans will compel people to “insure themselves against […]
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