This week I was able to meet with the COVID-19 Families for Justice group, following worrying reporting by the Guardian about the way in which the NHS 111 has coped during the pandemic. I was deeply moved to hear about the awful experience that the bereaved families have been through and their bravery in campaigning to fix the issues with NHS 111.

During the first wave of COVID-19 we were all advised to call 111 by the Government if we had symptoms. Unfortunately, many people did not receive adequate advice when calling the service. As I heard directly from the bereaved this week, their family members who were seriously ill and needed urgent medical attention were advised to stay at home and not to go to A&E. That is a serious failing which tragically cost lives. Listening to their stories first-hand has made me more determined to fight for urgent change so that the 111 service is brought up to the standards we should expect now before it is too late for other families.

Black History Month

This week was the start of Black History Month. In the midst of the global Black Lives Matter movement this feels like the most significant Black History month for years. But Black History shouldn’t be just one month in the year. Black history should be a mandatory part of the curriculum. That fact that it isn’t is deeply worrying, and through my work with the Edmonton BLM Charter and in discussions with schools, residents and others its become clear to me that this is one of the most important issues which we need to make progress on in order to tackle systemic racism in the UK. My hope is that we will have made real progress on that issue by the time we reach the next Black History Month in 2021. I’m hopeful that we are heading in the right direction.

The Government needs to avoid a Flu Jab Crisis

We are now at the start of ‘flu season’ and this year our ability to tackle flu is a crucial part of defeating COVID-19. That means that millions of extra flu jabs need to be made available by the Government so that many more people can get their flu jab and reduce the stresses on the NHS this winter. However, its not clear that the Government is prepared for the extra demand and this week the BBC reported that GPs and Pharmacies have experienced delays.

This is something that I feel is incredibly important and could become yet another Government fiasco unless it is tackled head on now. I’ve been submitting Parliamentary Questions to the Health Secretary Matt Hancock looking for answers, but so far all I’ve received are excuses. I will continue to press the Government on this until they set the record straight. It is vital that as many people are protected as possible as we head into Winter.

Government needs to reverse decision to evict people during Pandemic

This week hundreds of Migrants Rights organisations called on the Prime Minister to reverse his decision to evict people with no-recourse to public funds, and they have my complete support. The Government is so blinded by its extreme ideological hatred towards migrants and its unrelenting devotion to its ‘hostile environment’ policy that it has so far refused to budge and take the action necessary to prevent thousands of families being put at risk during a deadly pandemic.

Just as the UK has returned to ‘Covid-19 alert level4’ the Government has made the decision to re-commence evictions of people who live in Asylum accommodation. This means that thousands of people without recourse to public funds will be made street homeless and destitute in the middle of a pandemic. Even in ‘normal’ times that would be immoral and nonsensical but during a pandemic it is a danger to public health. I hope that on this issue the Government will see sense and reverse this reckless decision.

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Thank you for taking the time to read my latest update, if you have any issues that you would like to raise directly with me then please do email  edmontonconstituency@parliament.uk. I’m always happy to help whenever possible.

Kind regards,

Kate Osamor MP