Ed Balls becomes a care worker in BBC documentary exposing social care in crisis

Ed Balls, the former Labour politician says he feels "guilty that as a government minister, I didn’t do more" as he stars in a new documentary that highlights the social care crisis.

Inside the Care Crisis With Ed Balls on BBC2 shows former shadow chancellor and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Ed Balls working as a care worker in the care home for a two-week period during the pandemic.

The two part series follows Mr Balls undergoing in-house training as a care worker, which includes having his own teeth cleaned by a care worker and having yoghurt spooned into his mouth before working a 12 hour shift.

In one scene, Mr Balls is seen washing and applying cream to a care home resident’s leg. Afterwards, he says: “I don’t think I have been that nervous for a long time. It’s just because I didn’t want to do it wrong because it’s her body, it’s her life, it’s her dignity. You so want to get that right.”

Mr Balls talks about how he "feels guilty" when he worked for the Labour government under Gordon Brown 15 years ago and how he failed to tackle the care sector crisis.

He said: “I feel guilty that as a government minister, I didn’t do more when I was in the treasury to find a solution.

“It was the realisation that I thought I knew what care was, and I didn’t. The fact is, either as a family member or an MP, I never got close to comprehending the intensity of the job.”

Viewers also see Mr Ball openly discuss his mother’s diagnosis of dementia and the family’s decision to move her into a care home three years ago.

'The two-part documentary shows warts and all'

The documentary was filmed in Saint Cecilia’s Nursing Home and Saint Cecilia’s Care Home in Scarborough in the midst of Covid-19 restrictions during the summer to provide an in-depth and “immersive” view of the current state of social care.

Managing director of Saint Cecilia's Care Group Mike Padgham said: “The result is an unflinching, two-part documentary that shows, warts and all the challenges facing social care at the moment.

“Above all, I think the documentary, over its two parts, poses the question: what value do we place on the care of our oldest and most vulnerable?

“I am grateful to our residents, their relatives and our staff for agreeing to take part in the documentary. Doing things like this does bring with it risk but we wanted to show the blood, sweat and tears that is shed to provide care in 2021.

“We did so to show people a snapshot of the situation. We were very careful; everyone gave consent and all the crew were tested and wore full PPE.”

Mr Padgham now hopes the documentary challenges the government and has invited both Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Social Care Minister Gillian Keegan to a question-and-answer session with presenter Ed Balls and the production team on 3 December.

Mr Padgham said: “By inviting the secretary of state and minister to the screening event we hope to open constructive dialogue, offer solutions and discuss the many issues that the two programmes show.

“But we have to move forward and tackle the very real challenges that social care faces. As providers, we have many ideas and suggestions and need the government to listen and take action."

'The staffing crisis has been exacerbated by Brexit'

Mr Padgham says providers are working extremely hard to provide the best care in a sector that has seen more than £8bn cut from funding since 2010 and 1.5m people are living “without the care they need.”

The government has recently launched an adult social care recruitment campaign in a bid to fill the hole in the workforce caused by the pandemic, Brexit and mandatory vaccinations for care workers.

The government says more than 105,000 vacancies need to be filled currently and almost half a million extra job opportunities in adult social care are expected by 2035.

Mr Padgham said: “The staffing crisis has been exacerbated by Brexit robbing the sector of overseas job applicants and people finding other, less stressful and better paid work elsewhere.

“If this documentary can help get the crisis in social care higher up the political agenda and bring about some positive change, it will have been well worth it.”

Inside the Care Crisis with Ed Balls can be seen on iPlayer

click here for more details or to contact Saint Cecilia's Care Group