6 minute read
CARER SHORTAGE
The crisis in social care has worsened, a Government advisory committee has warned, with people in need of support struggling badly to access the care they need.
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The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has reported there are around 70,000 more vacancies in social care now than before the pandemic – an overall vacancy rate of 11.1 per cent, and a level which continues to grow. The recruitment crisis – much of which is down to the ending of free movement through Brexit, says the MAC – is impacting severely on those who need care, and has been described as a matter of ‘life or death’ for many. For 51-year-old Lynda Yu, who lives with paralysis after a road collision in 2004, she is fully dependent on 24/7 care. Such are the complexity of her needs, she would end up in A&E without such support. However, Lynda is struggling to have her care requirements met, and has confessed the situation has left her feeling suicidal. “I need qualified carers or life isn’t worth living. I know I should stay alive and fight it but how can you fight it if you don’t have anything to fight with?,” she says. Her partner Michal has stepped in to deliver the care she needs in the absence of access to dedicated carers, but the stress on him as Lynda’s full-time carer has become intolerable. Michal has not had a single day off work for the past seven years. It takes him around three to four hours just to get Lynda ready for the day, which includes carrying her from bed to the shower chair and undertaking her bowel management routine. “My partner can no longer cope. He is going to have a breakdown if I don’t do something, so I have looked at care outside,” says Lynda. “My mum is sick, and I don’t have extended family close by, but he can’t manage anymore mentally. I can’t go without care for one day as if my catheter bag isn’t emptied, I suffer from something called autonomic dysreflexia which could be fatal. “Sometimes I think what am I going to do, you can’t make a loved one care for you 24/7 without a break. “I do have to recruit but if I can’t then I have even considered ending my own life, I know I have been given a chance to live again after the accident, but every day I worry about it. How can I tell my eight-year-old niece that I can’t visit her because I have no carer to help me?” Every care agency she has contacted has told Lynda a similar story; that they’re short on carers and cannot take on any new assignments, provide respite cover or offer regular care, citing the problem with recruitment through new immigration rules. “The government must allow overseas carers to come and work in the UK again so they can care for and support people like me to lead a fulfilled life. Care, and especially intimate personal care, is a difficult job. It takes a special kind of person to do it well,” says Lynda. In July 2021, the Government commissioned MAC to ‘undertake an independent review of adult social care, and the impact the ending freedom of movement has had on the sector’. It contained a total of 19 recommendations relating to pay and conditions and immigration policy for social care, that would help to ease the burden on employers and migrants alike which have so far been ignored. In this week’s annual report, MAC expressed its disappointment stressing that the cost-of-living crisis is particularly severe for social care workers, given that their pay remains tied to insufficient government funding and that they’re generally not well compensated for their fuel costs. Following recent announcements by the Chancellor in his autumn statement for increased funding available for the social care sector MAC stated in its report: “The conditions now faced by the social care sector are unsustainable. Despite calls from the Health and Social Care Select Committee, the Public Accounts Committee, the NHS Confederation, Care England and numerous other organisations alongside the MAC, the Government appears to have no ambitions to raise pay in a material and properly funded way.” For Lynda the stress of finding appropriate care has become overwhelming: “It keeps me awake at night and I have to rely on sleeping pills which I have been on for three years. “How am I supposed to live this life when I can’t afford to get the care I need? People don’t realise how hard it is to access decent care and the danger if you don’t receive any help.” Spinal Injuries Association supports many like Lynda in their battle to access the care they need. CEO Nik Hartley OBE said: “It’s a source of deep frustration and disappointment that the Government still hasn’t responded to the MAC report on the impact of the ending of free movement on the care sector. “Our engagement with MAC was crucial in helping to shine a light on cases like Lynda’s and ensuring MAC understood about spinal cord injury and the critical importance to SCI people of being able to use skilled care workers irrespective of their country of origin. “We hope the MAC annual report helps to prompt the government to do so as a matter of priority.”
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This ground-breaking conference will take place in This ground-breaking conference will take place in Leeds on April 27th 2022, bringing a case-Leeds on April 27th 2022, bringing a casemanagement-run conference to the north of England management-run conference to the north of England by a team of experienced event-planners.by a team of experienced event-planners.
The fundamental tension embedded in the challenge to identity that catastrophic and life changing injury can bring and the desire to move forward without losing the sense of self, will be explored through our presenters who will highlight collaborative practices, new approaches, experiential learning and opportunities for change. A fresh approach to content presentation will immerse the audience in the client experience and the learning experience for delegates will be enhanced. Presenters include; • Clinical psychologist and author Dr Graeme Flaherty
The fundamental tension embedded in the challenge to identity that catastrophic and life changing injury can bring The day will bring together the network who serve those and the desire to move forward without losing the sense of whose lives are irrevocably altered by injury with self, will be explored through our presenters who will opportunities for delegates, exhibitors and sponsors highlight collaborative practices, new approaches, attracting an audience of rehabilitation providers, nurses, experiential learning and opportunities for change. therapists, social workers, psychologists, case managers, researchers, personal injury solicitors and Court of A fresh approach to content presentation will immerse the Protection deputies. There will be a carefully curated audience in the client experience and the learning exhibition with stands showcasing services and providers experience for delegates will be enhanced. that will be useful and relevant to event attendees.
Jones • Science communicator and researcher James Piercy • Financial planner Thom Harrison • Clinical psychologist Dr Melanie Lee • Service development director Lucy Fallon • Speech and Language Therapist Matthew Nakonesky The day will bring together the network who serve those whose lives are irrevocably altered by injury with opportunities for delegates, exhibitors and sponsors attracting an audience of rehabilitation providers, nurses, therapists, social workers, psychologists, case managers, researchers, personal injury solicitors and Court of Protection deputies. There will be a carefully curated exhibition with stands showcasing services and providers that will be useful and relevant to event attendees.
