Local MP Hosts Coffee Morning for Cross Party Adult Social Care Group

Wednesday 27th November, Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough and co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Adult Social Care, hosted a coffee morning aimed at building strong relationships between MPs and carers. Those in attendance included care providers, trainers, care staff and unpaid carers. 

Opening the coffee morning, Tom welcomed those in attendance and emphasised the important role the APPG for Adult Social Care can play in helping to fix the adult social care crisis. Tom discussed how on a national level, the group provides an opportunity for carers and those who rely on care and support to engage with Parliament and make their case for change to Government, while on a local level, the APPG helps MPs to build relationships with care and support providers within their local constituencies. 

The purpose of the coffee morning was to start the process of building towards both of these ambitions under this new Parliament. Tom expressed how the new co-chairs of the adult social care APPG want to move beyond one-off meetings between MPs and local carers, and towards long term relationships where everyone can work together to improve care in local constituencies. By engaging directly with those on the frontlines of care, MPs can better understand the realities of the adult social care system and identify the areas most in need of improvement. 

Commenting, Tom said: 

‘It was a pleasure to host the coffee morning for the APPG on adult social care today. Bringing together care providers, trainers, care staff, unpaid carers and MPs is crucial to understanding the challenges faced by the sector and advocating for meaningful change in Parliament. 

‘My colleagues and I are determined that this new cross-party group moves beyond one-off meetings between MPs and local carers, towards long-term relationships where we can work together to transform the provision of care in our country.’ 

ENDS