Occupational Therapy News OTNews March 2020 | Page 49

BAOT/UNISON
Being a BAOT member means you also belong to Unison and can access support and advice on workplace issues at any time.
The state of care – a Unison Q&A
Successive governments going back to the 1990s have pledged
to address the problems with social care, yet no political party has
thus far got to grips with the issues that have combined to form a
nationwide crisis that affects a huge number of people – from those
who need care, their families who take on caring responsibilities and
the social care workforce, which includes occupational therapists.
Unison’s Q&A gives some plain answers to our most pressing
care related questions.
Q
What are the main problems with social care in the
UK?
A: We have an ageing population. This places an increased
demand on social care services, and the social care sector is
chronically underfunded in comparison with the NHS, which itself is
underfunded.
Q Why isn’t social care valued in the same way as the
NHS?
Q Who is responsible for social care being so
devalued?
A: It’s complicated. In part it is because the health service has
highly paid staff, such as doctors and surgeons, and you don’t find
those in social care. It is also because social care funding comes
through local authorities who have particularly suffered in the last
decade of cuts.
If councils increase their spending in social care, then that means
less money for other infrastructure that they are obliged to provide.
Social care has had to compete with other local government
provided services in a way that the NHS hasn’t had to.
A: Although the responsibility for tackling the problems in social
care has been with politicians, there is a degree of responsibility
within the general public. There is a broad misconception that social
care is free and that it is state funded.
There is also the traditional idea that care work is perceived as
women’s work and is therefore, devalued. Historically, women have
©GettyImages/A-Digit
tended to take on the carer’s role in families, which is unpaid work.
This – along with other societal factors – has led to a social care
workforce that is 90 per cent female. In home care, there are care
workers who are paid less than the minimum wage because of
unpaid travel time.
Q
What change is Unison fighting for?
A: More investment in social care. Even if nothing else
changed, if we flooded the system with money it would improve the
situation. But we also acknowledge that money is not enough.
Regulation is necessary. At present, too much bad practice is
allowed. A lot of money in the system is bleeding away and funding
needs to be accompanied by systemic change.
Ultimately, we need to raise the status of care work. It’s seen as
a bargain basement sector when instead it should be seen as a
sector in which people are proud to work and paid commensurately
for it.
Lots of members say how much they enjoy their work and
how rewarding they find it, but at the same time are under-
trained, underpaid and unregistered. There is little to no career
development, which results in a third of staff leaving the sector
every year – higher than virtually any other sector.
As a union we often talk about pay and its connection to the
ideas of morale, status and public perception. If big national
decisions were taken to improve social care it would become a
virtuous circle where staff felt valued, were trained, staff turnover
would reduce, and standards of care would raise. Join the
movement to change care at unison.org.uk/changecare
If you have a problem at work, BAOT/Unison is there to help
Anyone can face problems at work, but if you are a member of
BAOT, you don’t have to face them alone. Whether it is about
bullying, duty rotas, flexible working, annual leave or sickness
procedures, a BAOT or Unison representative is on hand to help,
wherever you work. We are also there to help you make sure
your workplace is healthy and safe and to support you in case of
disciplinary action, dismissal or redundancy.
For help and advice at work – or to find out more about
Unison services – please contact your local BAOT/Unison
steward or call our helpline: UNISONdirect on tel: [phone]
857. Lines are open 6am to midnight, Monday-Friday, and 9am
to 4pm Saturdays.
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