A CARE home manager who has had to fundraise for gloves and hand sanitiser says she and her staff feel ‘unsupported and demoralised’ about the status held by the care sector.
After Becky Phillips had spent many hours scouring the internet in vain for protective personal equipment (PPE), it was the last straw, she says, to hear that members of staff had been turned away from local supermarkets because they didn’t have official ID badges.
Becky, a registered nurse, is manager at Coombe House in Liskeard, an independent care home for older people with dementia which is rated outstanding by the CQC. The staff do not wear uniforms or have photo badges, she explains, because this creates a barrier between carers and residents. With this in mind, a letter was provided on headed paper for all staff to take to supermarkets, in order to access priority time slots for essential workers.
‘The problems care staff have experienced trying to access the supermarket during the ‘NHS’ hour have been very upsetting. Not only do we put our own and our families’ health at risk when shopping, but also the whole care home. There has been a disregard by the public who aren’t social distancing and are putting us at risk. It is vital that carers are able to shop during quiet periods.’
Becky points out that carers will face an ongoing challenge after the lockdown restrictions lift: ‘We will still need to follow stringent social distancing to maintain the safety of the care home,’ she said.
Benefit
‘This is a big ask for a group of workers that are ready to fight for those they care for unconditionally but who already feel undervalued by a government that have called them “unskilled”.’
Becky and Coombe owner Ann Gray feel that care sector employees should be accorded the same status as NHS workers, who are prioritised in shops and who often benefit from discounts on purchases. ‘Care badges’ from the Government cost £8 each, not much less than an hour’s wages, says Becky.
A spokesperson for Aldi said: ‘All those entitled to a Blue Light card, including social care workers, have exclusive access to stores 30 minutes before normal opening on Sundays. And all have priority access to Aldi stores at all times.’
A spokesperson for Morrisons said that the problems in Liskeard ‘were likely a misunderstanding at the store’, and that the store manager had not been aware of anyone being turned away. The company’s policy was that ‘any health or social care worker with relevant ID is allowed to shop in the designated hour’.
Meanwhile, the Coombe House team have crowdfunded £2,000 in order to be able to afford protective equipment for staff.
While Cornwall Council has provided masks to the home, Becky says she was told by the Council she would have to fund and source other items herself.
‘At the start the Council said they would provide PPE when we needed it. When later we were told we weren’t going to be able to have this help, we couldn’t source any – everywhere had sold out, and when you could find it, it was ridiculously expensive. One pack of gloves was £30.’
Becky says that on one day Coombe House spent £1,300 on aprons, gloves and hand sanitiser for the home, which has 20 staff currently working and 16 residents.
She adds that the Council has recently said it will be providing extra funding for homes with local authority commissioned places, but that no further information has been given.
A spokesperson for the local authority said: ’Cornwall Council has been working closely with providers in the care sector to support them to find PPE supplies to keep their residents and staff as safe as possible. We have been in regular contact with all care providers with updates on availability of PPE and if they have been unsuccessful in finding it from their normal suppliers, they can access an emergency supply from the Council to tide them over until their supply arrives.’