It’s been a while but hey it’s hard to keep a Derry woman down. In this piece I will cover a number of topics with a specific focus on the Social Care Sector.
It would be strange given the current situation not to acknowledge the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic. From the outset of this, as someone with absolutely no faith in central ‘government’ I did question the local measures implemented and whether or not they formed part of a wider agenda. In particular, measures which continue to erode our fundamental freedoms. I believe I can be forgiven for this considering the hullaballoo around Brexit negotiations prior to this and the need to deal the growing number of elephants in the Stormont chamber, the biggest of which was our troubled past. A past which continues to hide behind its own mask and the skirt of the mothership, Westminster.
I have read a lot of commentary recently around Covid, some I agreed with and some I didn’t. From reading this I could gauge a real sense of frustration on both sides of the debate. Frustration stemming primarily from a lack of substantive information and the failure of ‘government’ to provide adequately, coupled with contradictory information and guidance. Guidance which at one point permitted people to meet their loved ones in a bar but not at home and, kept children in school were in vast numbers they were deemed safe providing they did not partake in PE. All totally questionable
In addition to the above issues there is a huge question around the accuracy of data which suggests that the majority of recent deaths have been Covid related. Having been badly affected by the virus I know first-hand of the need to follow guidance no matter how frustrating and contradictory. I can only hope that those fine folks in Stormont are taking guidance strictly from health experts and not Edwin Poots who you’ll recall gave rise to the notion of a ‘Fenian flu’. Seriously though, a proper Covid strategy from the outset may have helped us curb the spread of the virus and the need to dip in and out of lockdown which has caused so much hardship and uncertainty. Whatever your position on the virus, the wearing of masks and restrictions it is important that we don’t get too bogged down and end up polarised which would serve no purpose.
The ‘all in this together’ cheer we’ve heard during this time is now more than ever visible in the community where solidarity and a spirit of generosity has been to the fore of growing efforts to provide for the most vulnerable in our communities. I believe that through this there is now a greater understanding of the growing poverty crisis and the treatment of workers including healthcare heroes, many of whom are among the growing numbers of working poor.
The NHS that is now more than ever the focus of protection
and gratitude was for a long time a victim of privatisation by
stealth. The effects of this are visible in the current state of the
NHS which is in urgent need of radical overhaul to ensure adequate service
provision for all going forward.
The NHS is not the only service in need of additional support, the social care sector needs to be included in this. In many instances care workers are underpaid, undervalued and their contribution until now has gone unnoticed. The pandemic has changed this bringing the work that carers do crashing into the public eye. This includes the conditions they work in. Thankfully from experience there are companies that treat their staff well and know their worth, sadly there are others that don’t.
In my years as a community activist I supported a number of people with employment issues stemming from poor practice and unscrupulous social care employers. During this time I witnessed a lot of horrendous practice and care workers up against a system which remains stacked against them. These cases included discrimination, humiliating and degrading treatment, sectarian threats, a refusal to make reasonable adjustments and in the case of one organisation, the deliberate scapegoating of care workers for the actions of others.
What many might not know is that every health & social care worker here is required by law to register with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council. NISCC as it is known, is the regulator for the social care workforce and sets standards of conduct & practice for the workforce. Working alongside NISCC is the Regulation & Quality Improvement Authority – The RQIA. The RQIA regulates the health & social care sector in the North.
If a social care worker breaches the standards of conduct & practice they can be sanctioned by NISCC, this can result in them being suspended or banned from working in the sector. And I would say rightly so, if someone is not suitable to work in the sector then the appropriate action can be taken. Anyone found to have breached the standards will have the details of their infraction published on the NISCC website.
NISCC also publishes standards for employers and here’s where it gets interesting. One of the care workers I supported in the past wrote to NISCC to raise concerns that their former employer had breached the NISCC Employers Standards. Despite publishing the standards NISCC replied that ‘we believe the concerns you raised may be best placed with your employer to conclude through the grievance process and for consideration by the RQIA.’
And also, ‘While the Council have responsibility to publish the standards and keep them under review, the RQIA have responsibility for enforcement of Department of Health Standards and will consider compliance with the Standards for Employers, as part of their registration and inspection process.’
So if workers can be sanctioned by the regulator for breaches of their standards one could righty assume that any employer found to have breached the Employers Standards would face sanction by the regulatory bodies if they were found to have mistreated a care worker. After all it is outlined in the care standards published by Stormont that Employers must adhere to the standards.
However, in freedom of Information requests to NISCC and the
RQIA a number of contradictions came to light as you will read below:
NISCC
1. When asked how many Social Care
Employers have faced investigation & or sanction for breaches of Employers
standards since 2015?
Response; ’While action may have been taken against individual managers, this would not extend to employers as this falls under the remit of the RQIA.’
2. When asked ‘What action has been taken
against employers who have been found to have breached employers’ standards
since 2015?
Response; ‘NISCC may have taken action against individual managers, but not against employers per se, as the RQIA has the enforcement powers re the Employers Standards.’
RQIA
1. ‘How many complaints and or concerns
have been registered with RQIA about Employers breaching NISCC Employers
Standards since 2015?’
Response; ‘I should explain that Social Care Employers under NISCC Regulations are not required legally to comply with The NISCC/RQIA Employer Standards and therefore RQIA do not regulate this matter.’
So if NISCC doesn’t enforce the Employers standards, and RQIA doesn’t enforce the standards, the question is who does? Ultimately, who cares for the carers? Maybe one of our underworked and overpaid public servants would care to enlighten us.
This lack of support for care workers needs be addressed by all with an interest in worker’s rights including the trade union movement. The work our carers do is invaluable as is their contribution to wider society. This was so eloquently captured in a tribute from John Hume Junior to the staff at the Owen Mor Care Home following the passing of his father:
‘If he were here, he would urge us to look at those young carers and the incredible and heroic daily work they do as a model for future leadership - their ethos of deep respect, a respect for everyone regardless of where they come from or stage of life. - These are the foundation stones that are critical to all communities.’
This past year has been a very challenging time for
everyone, but like you I am mindful of the care workers who supported many
people in their end stages of life and who held the hands of people when their
families could not be there because of the restrictions. And, for many care
workers, this has, is and will continue to be their role when covid-19 becomes
a memory. As a society we clapped for carers, but more is needed to reflect the
value of the work that care staff carry out, often in challenging circumstances.
The question needs to be asked, who cares, and we should respond, we do!
It’s time for change.
