Page 70 - Unfair To Care 2024 - Who Cares Wins

VOICES FROM ACROSS THE SECTOR
All Party Parliamentary
Group for Social Care
Association of Directors of Social Services
Care England
Care Quality Commission
Health and Social Care Select Committee
House of Lords Adult Social Care Committee
Health Foundation
The King’s Fund
Local Government Association
NHS Confederation
The Fabian Society
UNISON
SECTION 9: THE CALL FOR GOVERNMENT ACTION
“Beyond the introduction of a national minimum wage for care workers
and the introduction of a banded
pay scale, it is vital that social care is seen as a viable career where care workers are financially rewarded for their experience and expertise.” 73
“We continue to call for a national workforce strategy that raises
the status of the adult social care workforce and ensures that career progression, pay, and rewards attract and retain the right professional
staff in the right numbers.” 75
“Across the social care sector, recruitment and retention are affected by the perceived low status of the work, low pay, training, and levels
of in-work support. There is little career progression and that means it’s hard to attract and retain people with the right skills and values.”
“Healthcare leaders are sounding
the alarm and sending a clear message to government that unless social care workers are paid a national care worker minimum wage, there is a real risk of irreparable damage to the sector.” 80
“ADASS wants to see a minimum social care wage that is above the National Living Wage, has parity with NHS pay and clear progression and development.” 74
“Low pay devalues social care workers who are often highly-skilled; is a factor in high turnover rates and high numbers of vacancies; and as a result, undermines the quality and long- term sustainability of social care.” 76
“Social care cannot continue as a Cinderella service – without a valued and rewarded workforce, adult social care cannot fulfil
its crucial role of supporting... vulnerable people in society.” 78
“Poor pay and conditions are among the factors that have triggered a staffing crisis in the sector.” 81
“Adult social care must have a long-term workforce plan with a fully-funded national pay framework for adult social
care; and benefits, terms and conditions for care professionals aligned with those in the NHS.”
“The Government must prioritise, with people who work in and draw on adult social care, a comprehensive long-term national workforce and skills plan for adult social care, including a commitment to remedy low pay in the sector.” 77
“The Government should provide funding to enable improvement
in pay (parity with comparable roles in the NHS), conditions and career development opportunities for the frontline care workforce not directly employed by councils.” 79
“There is no route to an improved adult social care system in England that does not include urgent action to provide substantial and sustained pay rises for those charged with providing adult social care.”
There is a remarkable cross-sector consensus that the low and unfair pay of frontline care and support workers is unacceptable and must be resolved.
73. Report to be published March 2024
74. https://www.adass.org.uk/press-release-care-leaders-call-on-govt-to-award-care-
workers-winter-bonus
75. https://www.cqc.org.uk/publications/major-report/state-care/2022-2023/foreword
76. https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5801/cmselect/cmhealth/206/20605.htm
78. https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/whats-your-problem-social- care#workforce
79. https://www.local.gov.uk/parliament/briefings-and-responses/autumn-statement- 2023-lga-submission
80. https://www.nhsconfed.org/news/nhs-leaders-call-national-minimum-wage-social- care-avoid-staff-exodus
81. https://fabians.org.uk/publication/support-guaranteed/
70 77.
https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/31917/documents/193737/default/