Care leaders call for care workers to be prioritised in petrol crisis

Care sector leaders are calling on the government to urgently prioritise care workers and other essential workers on garage forecourts, as petrol supplies run dry following panic buying, in the wake of concerns about a shortage of lorry drivers.

A weekend of chaos has seen care workers caught in queues, being late for calls and have been struggling to buy petrol and turned down as essential workers as garages brought in their own rationing.

Stephen Chandler, ADASS president, said: “Care staff must be able to do their jobs. They provide essential support to people to eat and drink, wash, go to bed and get up and out to work and other activities - and to take medication and relieve pain.

“The government must do all it can to guarantee adequate fuel supplies at filling stations, but the problems being experienced by care staff show that special steps are needed to help them. The public also has a responsibility not to make their difficulties any worse.”

'In previous fuel strikes, local authorities have been able to arrange for scarce fuel to be prioritised for essential users'

Jane Townson, chief executive of the Homecare Association, has been engaged in urgent talks with senior officials at the Department of Health and Social Care, local government representatives and health policymakers throughout the weekend, to find a solution.

Ms Townson said: “Home care delivery remains disrupted by difficulties obtaining fuel and traffic jams. Despite what the likes of the Automobile Association (AA) have said, there is only patchy prioritisation of essential workers, including home care workers on garage forecourts.

“In previous fuel strikes, local authorities have been able to arrange for scarce fuel to be prioritised for essential users. There is a question of whether this needs authority from central government, under civil contingencies legislation, to address the current problem. We call for this issue to be resolved urgently, as homecare workers need a fast solution so they can get to people who rely on their vital help.

“The lack of communication from government is not helping.”

Sadiq Khan, the London mayor has also called on the government to deploy the army and has called for priority petrol stations for key workers.

Mr Khan said: “As the current reductions in fuel delivery affect petrol stations across the capital, it is essential that key workers are able to get fuel to travel to work and provide the services our city needs. In the fuel crisis of September 2000, the government brought in rules designating specific filling stations for essential workers, enabling the capital to keep moving.

“The government must urgently look at taking the necessary steps, putting such measures in place, so that those key workers who have to drive to work can do so. We will continue to monitor developments closely and advise the government on required actions.”

The union Unison has also said key workers should not be “left stranded or forced to queue for hours” for fuel and has called on the government to "designate fuel stations for the sole use of key workers".

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said the government must “get a grip on the fuel crisis” to protect essential services.