03 May 2023 , 23:01
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Voters overwhelmingly back giving social carers the same pay as NHS staff, research reveals today.
Some 80% of people polled believe the crisis-hit sector is as important or should get the same respect as the health service, according to a Censuswide study of 2,001 people for not-for-profit care provider Dimensions.
It comes as a new change.org petition calls on the Government to introduce NHS pay bands for carers - giving them a wallet boost.
Tens of thousands of carers are paid the legal minimum wage of £10.42 if they are aged 23 and over; £10.18 for those aged 21 and 22; or £7.49 for 18-20 year olds - fuelling an estimated 165,000 social care vacancies.
Placing them on the NHS’s Band 3 would lift their hourly rate to £11.11 per hour - the same as health service clinical support workers, therapy assistants, pharmacy assistants, administrative workers and clerical staff.
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The petition says the move would “allow care and support workers to earn a wage aligned with their skills and responsibilities, and encourage a much-needed pool of talented, dedicated workers into these vital careers”.
Rachael Dodgson, chief executive of not-for-profit care provider Dimensions (Supplied)Dimensions chief executive Rachael Dodgson said: “The shortfall in funding for the social care workforce is a betrayal of the hardworking, skilled individuals who were on the frontline of the pandemic and continue to provide essential care and support for older and disabled people who draw on social care support.
“The NHS simply cannot function without social care – so social care deserves the same recognition that the NHS rightfully has.”
Ms Dodgson admitted that “increasing support worker pay is not the silver bullet to workforce challenges”, but she added: “It is a critical first step and will make a measurable difference.”
Care Minister Helen Whately earlier this week faced calls for care workers to be given “parity of esteem” with NHS staff and put on the health service’s Agenda for Change programme - the national pay system for all NHS staff, apart from doctors, dentists and most senior managers.
Speaking at the Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee, Labour MP Rachael Maskell told Ms Whately: “We've got 165,000 vacancies currently; we know that the average wage of somebody working in social care is 21p an hour less than somebody working in retail … can you understand why social care just isn’t a choice - physically can’t be a choice - because of the low wage that people are on?”
Care Minister Helen Whately snubbed calls for carers to be put on the NHS national pay scheme (Tayfun Salci/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock)But ruling out demands for carers to be put on the Agenda for Change scheme, Ms Whately claimed: “I don’t believe we would be in a position to do that.”
She pointed to £7.5billion for the sector announced at November’s Autumn Statement mini-Budget.
The Mirror is campaigning for Fair Care for All.
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