Good evening,

So now we know the true extent of the toll Covid-19 is taking on some of the most vulnerable in our population.

The figures for the number of people dying in care homes and in the community brought an almost audible gasp across the nation.

While much of our focus, quite rightly, has been on ensuring the NHS is not overwhelmed by the number of people requiring its services, there has been another, silent crisis going on right under our noses.

Social care is a tough job at the best of times. It means long hours, poor pay and the need for endless patience.

Those who work in this sector are genuinely amazing people. Few of us would be able to take on the role they perform - made even more difficult by Covid-19.

Now is not the time to be pointing fingers as we need to work together to get through our current situation.

But there is no doubt that when we get back to some kind of normality, questions must be asked about how this death toll was able to get so high and why our carers were let down.

Gillian Parkinson

Editor