We can't leave social care in the cold

I joined a panel on the local radio recently to discuss how health and social care teams were working together to plan how we deliver care over winter. Over the last couple of years my understanding of adult social care and my working relationships with colleagues across the sector has developed into a true partnership. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic there has been criticism that much attention has been paid to the NHS acute provider nurses, but that colleagues in social care have been forgotten.

Stewart et al (2020) highlighted that of the 1.5 million people employed in the care sector, approximately 840 000 general care workers are caring for approximately 420 000 vulnerable people in care homes. They made the point that social care workers often feel undervalued, being referred to as ‘low-skilled and low-paid’ staff, typified during the pandemic when it has been suggested that the poor response by the government to support staff in the social care sector may have contributed to excess deaths.