Page 21 - Unfair-To-Care-22-23-Flipbook

SECTION 4: PUBLIC OPINION
THE RESULTS
When asked to rate the societal importance of social care and NHS workers on a scale from ‘Very Important’ to ‘Not at all Important’ 91% of respondents felt that social care workers are fairly important or above (25.5% fairly, 65.5% very important), with 94% giving these answers for NHS workers (15.3 % fairly and 78.5% very important).
When it came to choosing the skill classification which best describes social care and NHS workers, social care workers are seen to be either skilled or semi- skilled by 90% of the respondents (54% opted for skilled whilst 36% selected semi-skilled) with only 4% selecting “unskilled” for social care. For the NHS, the proportions were different, with a total of 94% selecting skilled or semi-skilled – comprising 81% skilled and 13% semi-skilled. 2% of the sample selected unskilled.
When it came to earnings, 61% of respondents believed that, where a person was doing a job that required equivalent skills, complexity and responsibilities, both social care and NHS workers should earn about the same in salary and benefits. 7% of respondents believed that social care workers should typically earn more with 24% believing NHS workers should typically earn more. 8% said “Don’t know” to this question.
91% believe social care workers are important to society in the UK.
The two sectors were also closely aligned when respondents were asked to what extent shortages of social care and NHS workers respectively presented a problem for society in the UK. Selecting on a scale from
‘a major problem’ to ‘I do not believe there is a shortage
of this kind of worker’ 85% of those surveyed believed social care shortages were a problem (18.5% minor problem, 66.6% major problem), and 88% thought NHS shortages were a problem (13% minor problem, 75% major problem). Only 3% and 4% respectively did not believe
that there is a shortage of NHS or social care workers.
90%
believe social care workers to be skilled or semi-skilled.
85%
of respondents believe that shortages of social care workers are a problem for society in the UK.
61%
believe that social care workers should typically earn about the same in salary and benefits as NHS workers.
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91% BELIEVE SOCIAL CARE WORKERS ARE IMPORTANT TO SOCIETY IN THE UK