LET'S PAY CARE WORKERS PROPERLY.

Today's news carries a typical 'shock-horror' story about care workers. Following on from revelations, not that most people didn't already know, that the care provided in residential homes is frequently abysmal, we're now being told about the travails of home care workers. It seems that many of these are not paid for much of their time, specifically the time spent in travelling between appointments.

I already knew this as a close friend is employed in this sphere and, although often working from 6 in the morning until 10 at night, is only paid for the hours actually spent in clients homes. Admittedly, her hourly rate is above the minimum wage, though not by much, and, when she's driving, there's a 25p per mile mileage rate, but the overall effect is to bring her well under the statutory minimum rate of pay considering the real number of hours for which she is, effectively, 'at work'.

To make matters worse, care workers are expected to have a range of skills and have to undertake a certain amount of training before they can be 'let loose' on clients. Many have relevant National Vocational Qualifications and yet they are still paid no more, often less, than a shop worker or street cleaner. When things go wrong, they are pilloried.

Peripatetic workers in the NHS or Local Government are automatically paid a proper rate for their work, including being paid 'travel time' AND for their travel costs, be it a simple re-imbursement of fares or a mileage rate; care workers employed by private companies but providing services for local authority funded clients are not. That this is wrong is blatantly obvious but it's just a symptom of the appalling mess in which are public services are now mired. Providing care at home is seen as being preferable to moving people into residential accommodation and, because of the way in which such care is then provided, it is also a cheaper option. This makes it a real 'Win-Win' for local councils; that the care workers are, themselves, treated appallingly in terms of working hours and pay is something which the councils can happily ignore, while they make savings.

Many care workers have 'zero hours' contracts and can be called on, or not, at the whim of their employers; many find it just as easy to go sick at short notice as to work, as the loss of pay is so minimal. How have we come to this, a situation in which people who have been trained to provide essential care and are dedicated to their roles are treated and paid so poorly ? Is it not time that we recognized that carers are not second class workers and paid them appropriately for what is often a most stressful job that provides a vital service and huge relief to many people ?

Some hope.