This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Hancock urged to improve uptake of Life Assurance Scheme
Shadow Health Secretary Justin Madders has urged Matt Hancock to write directly to the families of deceased NHS and social care workers to make them aware of the NHS & Social Care Coronavirus Life Assurance Scheme.
Latest figures regarding uptake of the scheme show that less than four in 10 eligible families are due to benefit from the scheme. The number of NHS and social care staff estimated to have died as a result of coronavirus is now 620, yet the Department for Health and Social Care has confirmed that as of 4 November just 236 claims had been received in England, and of those, only 205 claims had been accepted for payment, with the remainder still being processed.
Writing to the Health Secretary, Madders stressed that the government to take a more proactive approach to removing any barriers that are contributing to the low uptake of the scheme and says it is vital that the government raise awareness of the scheme, encourage applications, and make process as easy as possible for the bereaved families.
He said: “To have lost the lives of so many when they were just doing their jobs is an absolute tragedy and the decision to open up the death in service benefit to everyone working in the health and social care sector in response to this was the right one. However, to see such a low number of applications being made so long after the scheme was started should be prompting Matt Hancock to take action. He must personally ensure that no bereaved family misses out even though the payment cannot take away the pain of that loss.”
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