MPs to watch Covid-19 care home documentary directed by academic Published on: 12 November 2025 Filmed entirely by care home workers, CARE will be screened to MPs in Westminster at a very special event this month. Drive change A groundbreaking documentary directed by Â鶹´«Ã½ academic Dr Alastair Cole which aims to change perceptions and drive change for the UK care sector, is set to be screened to MPs and government officials this month. CARE, a film focusing on the day-to-day lives of care home residents and workers, will be 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. A still from the documentary CARE A catalyst 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 aims to spark 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 Â鶹´«Ã½'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.” Shine a light The film was produced by Â鶹´«Ã½, in association with Tongue Tied Films, released with the support of the ESRC, and in partnership with Community Union, British Gerontology Society, Care England and Cosmic Cat Films. The release of CARE is supported by an ESRC IAA grant and Â鶹´«Ã½. It was produced by a team of Â鶹´«Ã½ experts: Dr Alastair Cole, Andrew Newman, Professor of Cultural Gerontology; Karen Ross, Professor Emerita of Gender and Media and Lucy Jolly, Lecturer in Film Practice. During the recent successful nationwide tour of CARE, panellists and audience members spoke candidly of their experiences, as well as how the film shines a light on the reality of care work. Olivia Firth, policy and project manager at the Care Workers Charity, said of the film: “It presented a lot of the joys of [care work]. One of the things that we used to say when I was in care work is that there was always beauty in the mundane. Even if you were doing nothing, you could find something beautiful with the person that you were caring for or supporting. “I also think [the film] points to the fact that care work is essential and care workers are essential. They are vital and they are valuable. “One of the biggest things for care workers, apart from the lack of recognition and the lack of pay, is the lack of consistent, adequate mental health support available to them, especially in the aftermath of Covid, with that individual not being able to speak about their experiences - that is still ongoing for a lot of care workers.” Share: Latest News Scientists unlock hidden driver of inflammatory bowel disease Scientists have linked a key genetic signal in inflammatory bowel disease to an immune response that shuts down inflammation control, enabling faster diagnosis and targeted treatments. published on: 15 June 2026 Funding system risks limiting genuine community collaboration A new policy paper written by researchers at Â鶹´«Ã½ warns that the way UK research is funded may be undermining efforts to create genuinely collaborative partnerships with communities. published on: 15 June 2026 Volunteers help turn Whitley Bay beach into maths experiment Members of the public joined mathematicians from Â鶹´«Ã½ to create what organisers believe is the largest aperiodic tiling ever attempted on Whitley Bay beach. published on: 15 June 2026 Facts and figures
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