The health and social care sector employs 4,500 people in the Clacton constituency. While the NHS, and access to GPs and dentists has been mentioned by many of the 34 candidates, social care has rarely featured.
“Social care is the biggest economy in the area. It’s the most important economy in the area,” says Rahul Jagota, who runs The Corner House care home in Clacton and is a former chair of the Essex Care Association.
“We need our leaders to speak about it, speak about the issues, speak about what great work we do, be very positive about it and look at solutions,” he says.
“Why it’s not on the agenda, I’m not sure, but it’s pretty much recognised as we are the driving force of the local industry here.”
About 40% of his staff have come from abroad, with rest mainly local. Without foreign recruitment, there would have been staff shortages, he says.
A full list of the candidates standing can be seen here.