| The Covid pandemic has taken its toll on our pockets as well as our physical and mental well-being. Two years ago, when the country went into its first lockdown, we threw money at ensuring that thousands of jobs were not wiped out overnight and that people could actually keep a roof over their heads and put food on the table. It was the right thing to do. They were unprecedented times and unprecedented measures were called for. The pandemic has also exposed the huge gaps in the social care system in this country and forced the hand of the Government to try to fix it once and for all. That has meant a rise in National Insurance is coming our way this year in order to fund those changes. On top of rises in the cost of food, energy and fuel that will see many of us struggling to make ends meet. But we mustn't allow that to stop a once-in-a-generation chance to sort the chaos in social care identified in heartbreaking human stories in the past two years. It may well be the one good thing to come from the pandemic. Until next time, take care, Gillian Contact me at gillian.parkinson@jpimedia.co.uk | 
