UK government must recognise care workers are on the coronavirus frontline too

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/mar/20/care-workers-coronavirus-frontline

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Social care has a vital part to play in the fight against Covid-19, but without proper support more lives will be put at risk

The National Care Forum, which represents not-for-profit care and support providers, is hearing this message day in, day out from members.

Social care is not well understood by many, but it has always been a key part of the overall world of care and health. Now more than ever, it has a vital part to play in supporting whole communities in the fight against Covid-19 and keeping many different groups of vulnerable people safe.

Our providers, like many across the country, are working hard to prepare for the escalation of Covid-19. This includes refresher training on infection control, robust measures to ensure any visitors to care services are safe to enter, planning for how to keep going in the face of significant workforce shortages, and ensuring the people they care for and their staff are kept safe and well.

However, it is clear that social care is in urgent need of help, more directly and more quickly. One of our providers told us:

Without this critical information, services cannot plan to meet the needs of the most vulnerable, or to ensure that their staff are adequately protected.

The issue of protection is never far from care providers’ minds, and the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) for care staff remains a pressing problem.

The government has instigated a welcome development with the creation of a national supply distribution helpline and a promise that all care services will receive 300 face masks. Word on the ground, however, is that care providers are still really struggling to get hold of all the PPE they need and they are watching this space in terms of real effectiveness.

Without the full set of PPE, providers are having to make very difficult decisions about whether or not they stay open for admissions, as they will not want to put existing residents and staff at risk from a lack of necessary equipment. It is simply unacceptable to ask care staff to do this without the right protection.

The newly announced emergency legislation with its extensive powers and a new hospital discharge regime make it clear that the expectations on care providers are ramping up even more. Of course, we know it will not stop there. Every day the government provides further guidance and advice, and every day providers are grappling with the reality of this.

Social care stands ready to play its part but to do so effectively, to help the NHS and the wider community in this crisis, we need real inclusion in the emergency planning arrangements and full regard for the workforce and those we provide care and support for.

Recognising and enabling the heroism and selflessness of all of our care workers would be a great start. But, much more importantly, enabling them to work safely, with the information and equipment they need, will be the true test of the government and society’s commitment to enabling social care to play its part.

• Vic Rayner is executive director of the National Care Forum