Staffing crisis leaves many English care home residents’ basic needs unmet | Social care | The Guardian

It is nothing new that social care is in crisis, but as is usual if crisis is not attended to then the crisis gets bigger and bigger and this is what is occurring in social care, currently.

Previous Governments could have done much to avert the crisis and certainly stopped it getting worse, but they all decided to ignore the crisis. Hence the currently state of social care in the UK.

Unfortunately has always been the forgotten care service, unlike the NHS, but they are so dependent on each other. For lack of social care results in health deteriorations and then health deteriorations lead to more social care being required and the cycle is never ending, for one some become deceased more are coming forward to take their place.

It does not take Einstein thoughts to understand that ignoring social care is effectively ignoring  the NHS, But Governments can be so stupid, especially when they want to be.

Not only should Governments be aware of this, but in 2010 the Tory Government decided to bring in austerity cuts to local authority (LA) grants and while LAs initially tried to shield Social care from the cuts, because the cuts were very excessive and went on for at least 10 years and then followed by more costs due to COVID. Yes, this current Government have decided to do something, but nowhere near enough and while the action is being taken most of the money will go to the NHS and very little, if any at all to social care. Even, if all of the £5.1 billion was going to social care it would be and is a drop in the Ocean for what is really required.

But, funding is but one element of the crisis, there are ever extending shortages of staff, extremely poor rates of pay, very poor working conditions. Some of the shortage of staffing was reduced by workers coming in from the EU and some from other parts of the World, But Brexit stemmed some of the flow of workers from the EU and the current Immigration Bill did nothing to encourage any workers to come from outside the UK. In fact, it went out of its way to  try to stem the flow of care workers for the criteria to come fully excluded care workers.

This was known by the Government and initially stated that care workers would be an exception to the criteria, but when it came about, this was not so.

Immediate actions that the Government need to take,

 

1. Reverse all austerity cuts to Las
2. Ensure working conditions for care workers are greatly improved
3. Allow more care workers to come to the UK
4. Make the minimum wage for care workers to be at least £15 per hour

 

Source: Staffing crisis leaves many English care home residents’ basic needs unmet | Social care | The Guardian

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‘After a week in the job, I couldn’t stop smiling’: the joy – and heartbreak – of life as a care worker | Society | The Guardian

Yes, a care worker, one of millions working in adult social care who day in day out do essential care work caring for our vulnerable relatives. It is very exhausting work and extremely poorly paid, but one done with an increasing degree of pride.

These workers and the whole of social care has been ignored for far too long, not only by this Government but all previous governments since 1948 and well before.

I mention 1948 for the current system was mainly created by the National Assistance Act 1948 as before that it was very piecemeal and mainly ineffective.

These changes made a much improved system, but did it go far enough, I say it did not for today Social Care is in a very great crisis and as been for many years. That is n to say that health is not in crisis for the NHS is in crisis, but not as deep and extensive as social care.

For the NHS has been receiving increased funding and some will say not nearly as much as is required, but many previous governments have looked favourably on the NHS and most within look on the NHS with great pride and so they should.

But why is social care not done so also, well most of us, if not all, at 2020 UK population was 67.22 million and is currently 68.46 million have used the NHS to maintain our good health, but with social care as at 2019/20 there were 1.93 million.

So, we treasure the NHS, but we should also treasure social care for many of us in our life time will come to need social care and if it is not sufficiently funded and staffed sufficiently then social care could well not be there when we really need it.

In effect social care should have been regarded in as much esteem as health in 1948, but it was not and still is not to this day. The creation of the NHS in 1948 was a big step to take, but it was the right step and by knowledge at the time it could well be thought that social care could be as efficiently managed by Local Authorities, (LAs), but it as been proved not so, not necessarily due to LAs inefficiencies, not in some instances it could be. But both need sufficient funding and in both instances this is essentially the Government, with health to Clinical Commissioning Groups, (CCGs), but soon to be, currently 1 July 2022, Integrated Care Systems, (ICSs). While the Government funds LAs directly, not just for social care, but all services which LAs are responsible for. It is then a requirement for each LA to then proportion out the funding as they see necessary. Unfortunately, the Government funding for LAs is wholly insufficient. It could be argued that the Government as never funded LAs sufficiently, but this has been more so since 2010, when the Tory Government and others since have applied austerity cuts to LAs. These cuts required cuts to be made to all LA services including Social Care, but cuts to Social Care when demand as ever been increasing as resulted in a very much deteriorating social care facility.

But this has been coupled by a decreasing Social Care workforce in real terms due to many reasons, funding being one and possible a major one. As funding is to a large extent causing the abysmal rates of pay for care workers, which currently within the range of the National Living Wage (£8.91 per hour) and the Real Living Wage (£9.90 per hour). This is when work at supermarkets and other professions could be around £14 per hour with far less responsibilities and other condition factors. But UK immigration policy as also played a part in the restrictions brought in, as did Brexit, so many found it more difficult to come to work in the UK, especially for social care.

So social care needs many more people to be able to work in the UK, greatly improved pay scales, but this Government needs to listen and take the required actions, especially in urgently providing more funding, as effectively Social Care needs at least £14 billion and not the measly amount that has been announced with much of it going to the NHS.

If moves are not made to clear the crisis in Social Care then when you do require social care there will not, effectively, be social care for you to access and this will only add to the problems within the NHS.

In reality social care and health should be managed together within one organisation, this would also reduce much duplications in costs and the infighting between Health and Local Authorities to ascertain who is paying for what.

 

Source: ‘After a week in the job, I couldn’t stop smiling’: the joy – and heartbreak – of life as a care worker | Society | The Guardian

Family of autistic man plan legal challenge over care conditions | Social care | The Guardian

Campaigners are calling for greater efforts to provide care in the community for people with severe learning disabilities. Photograph: AA Pix/Alamy

I have for years been saying that funding for social care is extremely important, but until recently I feel no one has been listening. That is certainly true about this Government for even now they are not listening and when it comes down to the facts, it is because, in reality, they do not even care.

I therefore support this legal challenge in every aspect.

To remedy the funding situation this Government needs to immediately refund to all Local Authorities (LAs) all the money withheld by Austerity Cuts and fully refund all the COVID costs LAs have had to encounter.

Only then will there be any chance that social care could be improved and in doing so relieve some of the burden the lack of social care has been causing to the NHS and the resulting effects on health care.

But there are also other measures this Government could do, one of which to immediately allow more non-UK citizens the enter the UK so they can be employed in social care for this would go a long way to ensure more persons would be available to work in social care. But also to ensure funding is sufficient to LAs so that care providers can be able to pay their care workers a more reasonable salary, to the extent of at least £14 per hour rather that the current National Living wage of £8.91or even the Real Living wage of £ 9.90 out of London (£11.05 within London).

But others need to be improves which includes

realistic sick pay rates

travel rates

unsocial hours rates

working conditions

and more

Social care is just as important as the NHS as both are inter-reliable on each other.

Source: Family of autistic man plan legal challenge over care conditions | Social care | The Guardian

Disabled Man Hopes To Challenge Benefit ‘Hospital Rule’

Another benefit rule which makes little sense for many reasons.

But one of the reasons it is there to offset double charging for while in hospital it is deemed that the hospital will provide all means of care so therefore there should be no costs for any other person to do so. However, this does not take in to account persons with Complex needs, whereby care needs to be provided by someone who really knows the person.

But is it really cost effective, as how many instances does this occur in, and in doing so is the cost of stopping the benefit and then recommencing more than paying the benefit double.

Then in this instance when the usual care is required in order to to stop suffering for the cared for person to be present, then it needs to be paid but there are no mechanisms to do so, so this requires and urgently requires a change in the payment rules. For it would not be cost effective and again no mechanism to do so for the hospital to take over payment to the carer.

What also needs to be considered as by not paying a carer what is the carer supposed to do, for they will most likely not be able to care for themselves without the payments and may need to start caring for another person and therefore not be available when the original person is eventually to be discharged from hospital. So then is the person discharged without suitable care being there, or not discharged thereby retaining a bed from being freed for another patient.

The common thought that care can be provided by anyone is is very misunderstood, for in most instances, if not all, it is not true, that is for good quality care to be provided. To get someone will take time and then to be well trained even more time, so discharge could be delayed for months.

Care is very skilled to do it correctly, again not fully realised if realised at all by many, especially the Government who make up all this ridiculous rules and regulations, without any consideration for the carers and those being cared for.

All this , also assumes that there are sufficient people available to do care which there is not again down to the Government in many ways, some which are

great insufficiency of investment in care

this also does not provide sufficient funding for a sufficient salary to be paid to the carer for providing care

lack of reasonable terms and conditions of employment for carers

restrictions in UK Immigration policies to allow more persons to enter the UK to be employed in the care profession

plus much more

Everything is against carers and care being provided of good quality and sufficient remuneration, so the care for are being abandoned by not only this Government all all previous Governments and this and those other Government should be ashamed and made accountable for their inactions with regards to care and allowing carers and the cared for to suffer.

Same Difference

A disabled man who had his welfare benefits paused when he spent more than 28 days in hospital, is hoping to challenge the rule in court.

Cameron Mitchell, 20, from Carlisle, cannot walk or speak, and has seizures. He spent 128 days at the Royal Victoria Infirmary.

Current rules mean he lost his payments while still needing carers, and he has applied for a judicial review.

The Department for Work and Pensions has been contacted for a comment.

‘Needs don’t change’

Mr Mitchell receives Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and his mother and carer – Nicola Clulow – receives a Carer’s Allowance.

Under current regulations, known as the “hospitalisation rule”, a person’s entitlement to their benefits is suspended if they have received care in hospital for more than 28 days.

Legal firm, Leigh Day, has applied for a judicial review – where a judge considers the lawfulness of a decision or…

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Social care sector may be safeguarded from post-Brexit immigration laws : Care Home Professional

The government is looking at plans to exempt the social care sector from a proposed post-Brexit migration policy over fears that it could worsen the workforce crisis.

The news came from a Whitehall source, who said a no-deal Brexit could lead to the social care system collapsing by Christmas.

“Leaving the EU in October is a different prospect from March, creating a perfect storm. Some workers leave the social care system to take up seasonal retail work as it is better paid,” the source told The Times.

 

Source: Social care sector may be safeguarded from post-Brexit immigration laws : Care Home Professional