How we take care of some of our most vulnerable people is a measure of us as a society and, as part of my work as an MP, I am privileged to visit some wonderful Care and Residential Homes.

Having helped coordinate the Norfolk MPs’ response to Covid-19 when the pandemic began (including working hard to try and ensure care and residential homes got the PPE they needed), and having spoken up on behalf of our social care sector many times during my time as the local MP, I am very aware of how difficult the past two years in particular have been – for residents, their families and staff alike.

That’s why I was delighted to be asked to open a new wing at Westfield House Care Home in Dereham this past week – one such home that supports and specialises in the care of those with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

It was a truly humbling experience to share the afternoon with everyone, and to hear the stories of many of those that live there.

One of the residents is an inspirational young woman called Georgia King. Georgia had just come back from drum/singing practice and I learned about the brain operation she is raising funds for to help her with severe Tourette’s syndrome. To see more on her story, please click here.

Our local homes do so much incredible, often unseen, work for so many and I always encourage people to find out more about those in their area – and it is for that reason that I take visits to local homes like Westfield House so seriously, and why I try to engage with key figures at all levels of our care sector so as to ensure I know the realities on the frontline and can then properly highlight their views with local care leaders and with ministers and officials in Westminster.

To see more about my work supporting social care in greater detail, please visit my campaign page here.

To find out more about those run by the Black Swan Group (including how you could become involved), please click here.