MPs View Covid-19 Care Home Documentary Directed By Academic

A groundbreaking documentary directed by Newcastle University academic Dr Alastair Cole which aims to change perceptions and drive change for the UK care sector, was screened to MPs and government officials earlier this week.

CARE, a film focusing on the day-to-day lives of care home residents and workers, was shown at Westminster on Monday 17th November 2025 following a successful nationwide tour.

Filmed entirely by staff at a North East care home as it emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, CARE gives a glimpse into the dedication and compassion of the workers that look after some of the most vulnerable people in society, while raising crucial questions about whether there is adequate support for those who bring such commitment and heart to the sector.

The film’s Westminster screening, which follows the beginning of the government’s long-anticipated Covid-19 enquiry, aims to shine a light on not only the commitment of care staff, but the realities of working in a sector that is overlooked and underfunded.

Hosted by Danny Beales, the Labour MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip and member of the Health and Social Care Committee, the event will be attended by key MPs, policymakers and senior leaders from the care industry, and will feature the real experiences and voices of care workers who have been at the frontline during Covid-19 and beyond.

The screening sparked meaningful conversations around the importance of respecting and supporting the care sector, and act as a catalyst for real policy change benefitting care workers across the country.

CARE director, Dr Alastair Cole, a Senior Lecturer in Film Practice in Newcastle University’s School of Arts and Cultures, said: “CARE began as a response to the pandemic, and out of frustration at the overwhelmingly negative representation in the media of residential care in the UK. This was heightened at a time when care home staff, residents and their families were at the coalface of the global crisis.

“Bringing the film – and the voices of the care staff it represents – to Westminster has been a key goal for our whole project team, so it’s incredibly exciting to see it happening. The film’s journey around the UK has been both heartening and inspiring, as we’ve met care professionals and listened to their stories and responses.

“Now, being able to bring the film, some of the staff who created it, and the new voices we’ve heard along the way into the Houses of Parliament to speak directly with MPs gives us a vital opportunity to ensure that care professionals remain at the heart of the debate about the future of care.”