I wasn’t expecting social care to feature as prominently in this election campaign after `the death tax row’ in 2010 and the furore prompted by what was dubbed `the dementia tax’ in 2017.
But the Liberal Democrat manifesto has shone a strong light on social care. The party has made its largest financial commitment to health and social care with a new Carer’s Minimum Wage. This would increase care worker pay by £2 an hour, as a starting point for improved pay across the sector.
Dimensions has been campaigning for support worker pay to be funded in line with NHS pay band 3 to improve recruitment and retention rates. This is against a backdrop of 152,000 vacancies in the sector.
I welcome any policy that seeks parity of esteem for care workers when compared to their NHS colleagues. The Liberal Democrats aim to make careers in social care more attractive and value experienced staff to improve retention by:
- Creating clear career pathways, linked to recommended pay scales, which put an end to the undervaluing of skills in the sector.
- Creating a career ladder to allow flexibility to work across the NHS and social care, allowing staff to gain experience in both.
- Creating a Royal College of Care Workers to represent this skilled workforce.
- Expanding the NHS Digital Staff Passport to include the care sector.
The Party says this will lead to an increase in recruitment and there should be a social care workforce plan, akin to the NHS England workforce plan, that includes ethical international recruitment.
It’s positive to see social care as a central issue in this election because reform has been promised and delayed by successive governments of all colours. Whoever wins the general election must take note of the cut through social care has had with millions of people – carers, care workers and people drawing on care and support – they cannot be ignored any longer. I’m interested to see what the other political parties pledge in their manifestos.
Rachael Dodgson, Chief Executive