To be concerned how many care assistants applied for our job

[lordsandladies]

Advertising a fairly basic job in a small town, no skill set required.

We have had over 150 applicants so far and there are a ridiculous number that work / have worked here and there for very short periods in the care system. mainly elderly and disabled personal care.

In between month long stints in hair salons and meat packing places etc.

I'm just a bit shocked, call me naive (clearly I am) but I thought that there would have to be some kind of qualifications required for that type of role, or at the very least a bent towards a caring / NHS minded nature?

They seem to be using personal care roles to get a bit of money before the next hop to any old job. How can the personal care of a totally vulnerable person be treated as cavalierly as this?!

My first care job, back in the 90's, I went for an interview and they asked me to fill in a form "This is just to get your details, you've already got the job".

It's harder to get a shop job, then a care job.

I think the nvq rules still apply for care companies homes etc but they are day release and carers are working before qualified iyswim, I know a girl who worked for the company i was on about she was there 6 months and worked so many shifts and hours she never got to go on training and because she was a young maybe a bit naive woman she didnt know how to approach her employers as it was zero hours and she needed the money (they are well known for not giving shifts), her mum eventually pursuaded her to leave

I totally agree with you.

It is one of the reason I am scared of growing old in the UK.

I am comparing with our experience in Norway, where my dad is under the care system.

All care to elderly and disabled are under a sub division of the equivalent of NHS and run by the local council. They spend a lot of time assessing what type of help and care each individual needs, usually a combination of medical care and help in the home. Everything is led by senior nurses with extra education in health care management, in liaison with the patients GP and the council. My dad can call his local care office any time and speak to a nurse, or ask somebody to pop in. He has regular visits morning, mid day and evening, it is the same pool of people, either qualified care assistants or nurses. They do everything from help with breakfast, clean wounds, and take the rubbish out. They are his sounding board if he does not feel well, and they will arrange a gp visit, or test to be taken in the home, or transport to hospital. They have the same pay scale as hospital staff. In addition, he has a cleaner every two weeks. He receives meals on wheels for dinners. He only pays for the cleaner and the dinners. The rest is where his taxes and national insurance contributions went....

I run a care service. It saddens me to think the way some providers treat their staff puts others off joining. I have several care staff who have been with us for over 10 years, many for well over 5. It is actually quite good to take staff who are new to care, that way we can train them how to do things properly and not have them carrying over sloppy practice from other work. All staff used to have a 12 week "common induction" and now do the new Care Certificate. Level 2 & 3 training is widely available free or for minimal cost and there is a huge demand for care for older people. Lots of care assistants work tailored shifts to fit in with family commitments and although it isn't very well paid weekend rates in this area are £10-£11.

Quite a few care assistants train to level 3 and then move on to do nursing degrees - and have a readily available part time job to help finances.

If the local authorities would pay a proper rate for the care they commission all this would be a whole load easier. There is now a move towards commissioning with a living wage requirement.