This is probably the most sensible thing that I've read about the care industry in a long while, taken from the link @AutomaticMoon posted.
“The government must end the care crisis by showing it’s ready to end a bargain-basement service that puts profits above care and treats staff like numbers on a spreadsheet.”
Care is seen as a job anyone can do, which is justification for the poor pay and treatment of care workers. Well this is what happens when anyone does the job. And the reason that anyone can do the job is because caring for the elderly, disabled and vulnerable is not valued, because they are not valued.
I have worked 4 short staffed shifts this week, I worked 6 shifts in total. The residents are paying for their care, yet on 4 days this week they've not had enough carers to do that properly, no matter how hard I work or how good I am, I'm not two people. Where has the money that should have paid that last carer gone? Have myself and my colleagues received extra? No.
Have the residents received a refund? No.
It's been kept by the company.
On every single one of those 6 shifts I have to be at work 15 minutes (changed into uniform, ready to work) before the start of my shift time for handover. I get paid from the start of my shift, not for the handover, but I'd say it's a pretty essential part of my job, communication is so important in care, yet not important enough to pay for for the provider.
I worked some very difficult shifts through covid, 24 hours, 10-14 days without a day off, for 6 hours one day I was the only carer there, I had the cook helping me with essential care tasks that took two people. Saved a fortune on the wage bill for the company, and I wasn't the only one in that situation by a long shot. I got paid nmw for all those shifts, so did the cook and others.
Through the 'Recruitment and retention' scheme from the government paid to providers, I have received a £25 voucher.
CQC and safeguarding aware (had to be) and the silence is deafening.
New recruits are 'trained' with 2/3 shadow shifts and about 3 hours of DVDs and questions. Even if they've never done care before. Then off they go.
I have an administration of medication certificate, do you know how long my training took? 30 minutes online and I have an official certificate meaning I can administer medication to someone who is prescribed it, I am responsible for administering 'as and when' medication that sedates people when they are very anxious, or morphine to someone who is in pain - but who cannot communicate that to me, I have to be able to read the signs, the situation, know the person.
And I got 30 minutes training and watched doing my first round. I have nearly 20 years experience and I care about the people I look after, I understand what I'm doing and feel confident, and I still feel that it's bloody inadequate training considering the stakes.
Bad carers need to be stamped out, but what will make a much larger positive change is training people properly, valuing the training and development they undergo (and actually making it available!) - I have an nvq 3, the equivalent of 2 a levels, and I'm on the same wage as someone with no nvq or experience, giving the CQC real teeth, not allowing care companies to abuse their staff and then throw them under the bus when something goes wrong and most of all, stopping them profiting from exploiting the elderly and vulnerable and their carers.
There is no political or societal will to do it though. So incidents like this will never stop, no matter how much people shout about how disgusting it is when it's brought to light.