Gloria’s Law
Our fight for a new legal right to a Care Supporter
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We are campaigning for everyone to have the right to a Care Supporter when using health or care services
We’re campaigning for the legal right to a Care Supporter: a trusted loved one to provide support and advocacy in all health and care settings.
All of us should be able to have the support of our closest friends/family, to act as our eyes, ears or voice when we need them. The people we trust, who know us best – our likes/dislikes, history, communication style, and care needs – who provide invaluable support to make sure these details aren’t lost when we need additional care.
At Care Rights UK we support people every day who face barriers to supporting their loved ones in care – through visiting restrictions, lack of access to care plans, the person’s choice of representative not being respected, closed cultures and more.
This is why every person needs a new legal right to a Care Supporter: guaranteed access to their partner in care – so no one is ever alone when they most need support.
Ruthie Henshall with her mum Gloria
Gloria’s Law gets debated in Parliament!
On Tuesday 24th June, parliamentarians debated Gloria’s Law. Read our round-up here.
Show your support for Gloria’s Law – sign our pledge
It takes less than a minute.
Your pledges
“Family is the most important thing in life and to have no one in the most difficult times is just heartbreaking.”
“The situation of people in care being cut off from their loved ones should not happen again.”
“No-one should be alone at the end of life. That one person who can comfort, support & love, is a basic human feeling & a right.”
Read a selection of testimonies on our new Pledge Wall.
What we’re calling for
A new legal right to a Care Supporter
A legal right for a person who needs care and support to unrestricted in-person support from at least one essential Care Supporter (a person important to them such as a relative or friend), in private if the person chooses
A duty to facilitate contact
A duty on the health and care system, including providers, to facilitate this contact wherever the person is receiving care and support, and regardless of how it is funded (such as hospitals, mental health facilities, care settings, when receiving care in their own home)
Enforcement by the regulator
The exercise of the duty on health and care providers to be monitored and enforced by the regulator
Limitations on the ability to place restrictions
Restrictions on this right to only be permitted where it is necessary to protect from a known and immediate risk of harm from the care supporter (they are infectious or for safeguarding) and must be proportionate to that risk
Individual assessments
An individual assessment must be carried out when considering a restriction on this right, involving the person and those important to them
Agreed alternate forms of contact
Where a restriction on this right is necessary and proportionate, an individual assessment must take place to agree alternative means of contact with that person and an alternative care supporter for private in-person contact.
Our joint campaign
Care Rights UK has been working on the campaign for Gloria’s Law with Rights for Residents and John’s Campaign since 2021.
The campaign is named after Gloria, Ruthie Henshall’s mother. Ruthie is the ambassador for Rights for Residents.
Find out more about what’s happened so far.
Joining our call
A coalition of 108 organisations
These charities and providers represent millions of people who use health and care services across the country. If your organisation would like to join the call, please get in touch. Read the full list.
