Personal Blogs

We are told that the care crisis is at it's worst,  how much is the government actually listening to the problem. The issue is not  about training, they  are PROFESSIONALS. I wonder how many have actually undertaken the training to be a carer in recent years and what is involved .
  Training is given through a combination of  private qualified medical registered trainers, social care TV. and the NHS dependant on registration of the home or company (community carers).   When new recruits realise what it involves being a carer they  tend to leave rather quickly due to the workload, training and the pay .
 Recruitment ; due to the way carers are 'stereotyped' by the government, general public and media it is hardly surprising no one wishes to do this valuable and worth while job.
For so long they have been undervalued and have had to put up with having to do long hours to cover the shortfalls all for the minimum wage.  They have not moaned but continued quietly to get on with the job.
Now with the mandatory vaccinations  and not being able to recruit from aboard the bubble has finally burst. 
Many carers have left due to health conditions as it is a physically and mentally demanding job.
Community carers  - rushing from one to another, time limitations due to overwhelming needs. Lone working issues, if one client has had an incident you cannot just leave them, however this has a knock on affect  not enough community carers to go around. In the past there has been issues regarding getting paid by the call hence daily pay could be severely  affected .
The stereo type that is portrayed in homes ,'you sit down and drink tea in the TV lounge all day doing nothing'. Little do many know that you are observing residents due to their health conditions and you have to be alert to notice a changes, all while doing some domestic chores such as tiding up the lounge and providing refreshments. 
Little do people know that there has to be a certain amount of staff on the floor at one time to care for the residents.
Some of the training  (dependant on  the home , residential, nursing or EMI (Elderly Mentally Infirm, community includes all ) includes but is no means limited to ;
legislations Key social care legislation | SCIE
Basic training that is undertaken every year which includes Riddor, health and safety, resuscitation etc. 
Care plans including special dietary needs, health conditions etc.
 Report writing.
 Manual handling training. 
 Behaviour Training , due to  people being aggressive verbally and physically due to the frustrations of health conditions including  dementia , all  with a smile,  on a minimum wage with no security to assist.
The list is endless
  Many carers can not survive on the pay alone and hence  have to rely on top up benefits as well.
Those that stay, do not stay for the money but because they want to make a difference, they  actually care.
This is not a new issue it has been coming for a long time.
There needs to be a big reform regarding residential, nursing homes and community care.
Sadly those who feel that more training is what is needed have no idea, of what is happening in the sector.
 If  people wish to have a great service start appreciating carers ,actively  listen to carers on the ground floor who are actually doing the job, assist in making improvements let them see you have listened.
 Assist private homes, ask what incentives they offer staff  assist them with implementing them.
Dependant on home or company and  organisations  treatment of carers  fluctuates and this should be reviewed. 
Some   private homes, charge for uniforms  perhaps if they put  the logos on the uniforms carers can claim back tax allowance for cleaning them, some charge for meals on duty this could possibly be  reviewed .
   staff ratios for each shift , proper staff rooms so that staff know they are appreciated. Community carers  need companies to take into account issues that can arise when working in the community, travel time to reach the client, traffic hold ups etc. Issues that may arise when they arrive, be paid an decent hourly rate and not per client, rest breaks and decent  paid mileage .
 Across the board  staff on the ground floor NEED to be  actually valued. 
British people need to be appreciated they are not frightened of hard work however they  need to pay bills and feed the family. Many of the workers recruited from abroad where able to do this role because they have been transient and have been recruited in countries where their  exchange rate was  very low. Hence many worked here to be able to return or send money home to give their families a better way of life and again who can blame them wouldn't we all  take advantage of that?. It appears to me that we do not afford or  value people in vital industries enough here, that is the  reality of actually living in modern day Britain.