Your editorial on care workers being undervalued and underpaid hits the nail on the head (25 June). There needs to be a long-term workforce plan for adult social care as well as the NHS to enhance the quality of care and support provided by both. We know that social care workers already seek jobs in the NHS – where pay and conditions are better – and an NHS-only plan is likely to exacerbate this. Demand for care workers is already at an all-time high.
The ongoing deprioritisation of social care 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. Our research reveals that 80% of the public believe social care is as important and deserves the same respect as the NHS. Yet the government has cut £250m from promised funding to support its workforce.
