There are 1.6 million care workers in England who look after the most vulnerable members of our society.
Care workers have shown their resilience as they cope with the ongoing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Yet, the Government’s proposed policy banning the movement of care workers between care homes overtly singles out staff who deliver direct care.
Healthcare professionals, registered managers and CQC inspectors (to name a few) are exempt.
Care workers work in multiple care settings, often to make ends meet. With 75% of them being paid less than the Real Living Wage, they have little choice but to take on more than one role,with IPPR research noting that “many… have to take second and third jobs to make ends meet”.
The Care Workers’ Charity sees first-hand the hardship that many care workers are facing. This year the charity has supported 3,023 care workers; this is the tip of the iceberg as there are thousands of others struggling on without support.
Banning the movement of care home workers targets individuals who have little power of influence caused by zero-hours contracts and a low income.
We believe the enforcement of this policy will mean affected care home workers stand to lose a substantial portion of their income.
Residents will be impacted too. A departure of care home staff will leave residents without quality care. Residents have persevered during the pandemic and a departure of care staff who have remained constant in their lives will be of detriment to their health and wellbeing.
Faced with worsening in-work poverty, care home staff will choose to leave the social care sector. With current vacancies of 112,000, expected to rise to 520,000 by 2035, an exodus of care workers will be disastrous especially with an ageing population rising to 14.1 million by 20356.
This proposal is short-sighted and self-defeating. Valued care home workers will be prompted to leave jobs, in favour of financial stability and job security.
Care providers will subsequently be reliant on agency staff to combat unsafe staffing levels which will inhibit the care of residents and threaten the closure of care homes.
The Government suggests the Infection Control Fund (ICF) will cover the costs of this policy. The ICF has faced criticism for being bureaucratic and difficult for care providers to receive essential funds. Concerns have been voiced that the ICF already does not do enough to support social care. We, therefore, are unconvinced that care home workers will receive satisfactory support for the inconvenience caused.
This proposed policy is the result of chronic underfunding and neglect of the social care sector by successive governments. The care workers who were lauded just a few months ago are the same care workers who will suffer at the hands of this policy.
Care workers are not expendable and cannot be taken for granted any longer, they deserve respect and recognition for their hard work.
Signed by a group of industry leaders brought together by The Care Workers’ Charity,
City Road, London
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