Whenever it is accused of discrimination our government it  denies it, for example, race, but that is blown apart by two words ‘Windrush generation’ and the list of discrimination against women is endless. Now  the elderly are in this governments discriminatory sights, in particular residents of care homes.

The Department of Health has issued guidance that will keep care home residents locked in, on the risible explanation of providing protection, when the rest of us can go out and about once again, how dare they. The action is unethical and illegal. In this country you cannot lock up a criminal or a mental health patient without an order that fulfils the requirements of an act of parliament. The Department of Health however, sees fit to lock up the elderly in care homes by issuing ‘guidance’ which has statutory underpinning, which has never been passed by parliament let alone passed by MP’s

This is the same government department that a year ago decanted COVID  patients from hospitals to free up beds and put them in care homes where there was inadequate PPE or wider help and then locked the doors. The result thousands of care home residents died and when challenged the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock denied responsibility because he and colleagues  had ‘put their arms around care homes’, utter tosh. In addition those who remained were locked in away from family and friends for over 12 months.

The  residents of care homes are the people who gave so much through the second world war and  down the years to society, so  the likes of Hancock can live in a free world and this is how he repays them. This action by the government is, cruel, callous, uncaring. The ‘John Campaign’  (not me) are taking legal action against the government and they have my support but that will not be quick. It is time that all of us members of the ‘silver’ generation stand up and protest on behalf  of the elderly who need residential care. Not just us, what about children, grand-children, brothers, sisters and friends, join us and help to free care home residents from this iniquitous government action. Remember we all get old eventually.

Let’s make a start by signing this petition to:

1.      Overturn the Department of Health’s discriminatory guidance and to allow care home residents to go out and about like the rest of us

2.      Remove Matt Hancock from Office

3.      Insisting the government make a clear statement with a timetable to implement a full plan to develop a fully funded care system

4.      Ask the devolved governments to support this petition and issue statements to make clear that care home residents will not be imprisoned within residential establishments in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.