Think tank calls on government to recognise care workers 'heroic contribution' to pandemic

The think tank IPPR is calling on the government to recognise the ‘heroic contribution’ care workers are making during the coronavirus pandemic.

In its report, Care Fit for Carers, the think tank cited polls showing overwhelming public support for more generous pay and entitlements for health and care workers and called on the government to issue five guarantees to workers during the crisis.

This is about giving the heroes the protection, support and security they need

Safety – including the supply of personal protective equipment.

Accommodation – no one should face housing insecurity while working on the coronavirus frontline.

Mental health – protecting workers’ mental health by extending access to therapy.

Pay – including guaranteed full pay if they fall ill, a 10 per cent bonus, ensuring no care and health professional is paid less than the real living wage in the future, and giving care workers parity with NHS staff.

Care – an uplift in free childcare, with priority places to key workers.

The chief executive of Care England Professor Martin Green welcomed this report saying: “If there is one thing that this dreadful pandemic has shown us it is that the social care workforce is our greatest resource. We must learn from this and train, resource and cherish the workforce accordingly.

“An important legacy of this crisis must be securing the status of social care as one on equal to the NHS. Never again must social care be the underdog. Social care must retain its rightful status which will therefore necessitate adequate resourcing, funding and status."

In addition, the survey revealed half of healthcare workers said their mental health had suffered due to the COVID-19 crisis with 71 per cent of 18-34-year-olds reporting lower levels of mental health.

One in three reported their physical health had suffered and half of the healthcare workers who took part in the poll said the government had not done enough to protect their families’ health.

Report author and IPPR health research fellow, Chris Thomson said: "Care Fit for Carers is about giving the heroes of the coronavirus pandemic the protection, support and security they need.

"No one should have to put their health at risk because PPE is lacking. No one should face a mental health crisis because no support was there. And no one should face financial destitution while delivering our crisis response."

To read the report click here