Develop a national policy and legislation that requires local authorities and care providers to offer a consistent level of benefits across the country. Scale this depending on the size of the care provider, and allow for flexibility for personal assistants and small teams. Introduce legislation that ensures care workers and personal assistants are paid for their entire shift, not just the hours they are on visits - for example when driving between visits. Pay care workers for the hours they work, including travel time if they work in home care, rather than working an 8 hour day and being paid for 4 hours. Design a benefits package to include the benefits that are important to care workers and personal assistants. Ideas for new benefits include: - a green badge for carers, like the ‘blue badge’ scheme. It should be recognised by local authorities and parking attendants - sick pay for personal assistants and all carers - pay for time working that is not delivering care (e.g. travel time or training) - covering part of the costs for days out with personal assistants.
Place care workers within the NHS rather than local authorities
This is likely to increase costs, however, the best care needs to attract the best people and to do that you need these type of incentives.
Definitively put into legislation that each minute doing care is a minute to be paid.
The problem of a client /job taking longer I always there no time for a proper chat no time to wait for the client to use the toilet how will timing like this be addressed?This is hard to quantify.
This is the absolute starting point for improvement. Health and social care need paid properly. Everyone clapped for carers during the pandemic, noises from government that staff in this sector are the real heroes. Retention is such an issue due to the low pay. The low pay also attracts some people who arent really committed to the job. Its one of the most important jobs going and such a responsibility caring for people. I always think if this was my mum, dad, or relative how would I want them to he treated. The pay is the starter but other benefits too - top of the list is company sick pay. Its the minority of social care employers who provide a decent company sick pay.
The point regarding carers are paid for all the time being worked (including travel etc.) - absolutely. As for the point of providing a consistent level of benefits etc. across the country, I can't see how this would happen with many different providers (some private, some non-profit & others local authourity).
I agree with this. Public sector pay needs to be taken out of the governments hands. It will be watered down unless there is legislation to stop meddling. You can see it happening this summer.
Also would like to see some allowance for holiday and sick pay.- even the possibility where possible to set up retirement schemes. The practice of paying only for time spent with the client is exploitative, pure and simple.
The big challenges are likely to be inequalities in Local Authority funding in different areas, and the reluctance of private providers to take any action that might diminish their profits. If H and S C could be not-for-profit - if only!
It is already legislated that people have a level of leave and access to a pension. Also people should be being paid travel time and expenses. Maybe this needs to be firmed up and rogue firms shut down.
Parking in london is ridiculous - not feasible This does not include the fact that most companies don't pay for break times and most of us work into our break times Transition time could be a challenge to manage and implement
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