COVID-19 inquiry enters next phase

The UK COVID-19 inquiry enters its next phase to examine the UK’s response to, and the impact of, the COVID-19 pandemic.

John’s Campaign, The Relatives & Residents Association (R&RA) and The Patients Association have UK COVID-19 inquiry

Core Participant Status and the inquiry held its first preliminary hearing for its third investigation (Module 3), looking at the impact of the pandemic on healthcare, on Tuesday 28th February.

Module 3 of the UK COVID-19 inquiry will consider the healthcare consequences of the Government and public response to the pandemic. It will examine the capacity of healthcare systems to respond to a pandemic and how this evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will consider the primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare sectors and services and people’s experience of healthcare during the pandemic, including through illustrative accounts. It will also examine healthcarerelated inequalities (such as in relation to death rates, PPE and oximeters), with further detailed consideration to follow in a separate designated module.

As Core Participants, John’s Campaign, The R&RA and The Patients Association will be able

Adding, ‘Making working in care more affordable is absolutely the right thing to do. Two elements of the Budget support that ambition, and we welcome both the increased availability of funded childcare and the extension of the Energy Price Guarantee to ensure that households are not faced with further catastrophic increases in energy bills. However, we are disappointed that there is no further tailored support for the catastrophic energy costs being faced by all of our not-for-profit members.’

Adopt a Grandparent

Adopt a Grandparent, an initiative initially created to help virtually pair care home residents with volunteers to combat loneliness throughout the pandemic, has appointed a Director of Fundraising – as the project-turned-charity sets out its 2023 plans to reach 100,000 sign-ups.

Cornerstone

Cornerstone Healthcare has announced the appointment of a dedicated, in-house NAPPI (Non-Abusive Psychological and Physical Intervention) trainer to work across all of its services. Jonathan Spencer will be responsible for delivering training on psychological and physical techniques to all staff and assisting the group’s nurses in personalising care plans around any NAPPI requirements that an individual may have.

Liaise

to see investigation evidence, make statements at inquiry hearings and suggest lines of questioning to counsel to the inquiry. The organisations will be working to ensure that the experience of healthcare service users is a key consideration in the Inquiry’s analysis.

Visit the COVID-19 inquiry website to stay updated with developments: https:// covid19.public-inquiry.uk

Liaise, a provider of specialist care services for adults with learning disabilities, mental health and other complex needs, has appointed Deborah Cotton-Soares as Director of Quality and Governance. With over 30 years of experience in the health and social care sector, including as the Director of Quality at Consensus Support, and Head of Registration at the CQC, Deborah will lead quality focus and governance across the group.

Orion Health

Orion Health has appointed Mark Hindle as its new vice president for the UK and Ireland. Mark has joined the leading supplier of digital tools to improve healthcare experience from Evergreen Life, a personal health record app provider. In his new role, he said his priority will be to support Orion Health’s existing customers and help them upgrade to the latest, cloudbased version of its platform.