In a letter to the Prime Minister, the chairman of the UK Homecare Association Mike Padgham, invited Theresa May to the “front line” of the care sector to see the “desperate situation the sector is in.” In our exclusive interview with Mr Pagdham last November, he spoke about recruitment challenges, less funding, and a need for more rigorous training.
His most recent appeal for action comes as figures released by the charity, Skill for Care, show that 338,520 care workers left their roles in 2015-16 – the equivalent of 928 people quitting every day. The high turnover rate of 27% – nearly twice the average for other professions – has resulted in an estimated shortage of 84,320 care workers.
One in four social care workers are employed on a zero hours contract, with the average wage for full-time care workers coming in at £14,800 a year – over £12,000 less than the UK average.
The government has acknowledged the strain felt in the care sector and the ageing population by announcing plans to spend an extra £2bn on social care, funded by a rise in council tax bills. According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of people over the age of 75 is expected to double by 2040.
The stark warnings and alarming statistics are all the more reason to ensure your care organisation is resilient to adversity, and suitable care insurance is a good place to start.
“As specialists in care and social welfare, we appreciate the pressure felt by the sector at the moment, as well as the everyday issues. This understanding goes a long way to ensuring that any policy we arrange is comprehensive and fitting for our clients’ organisation or association, as well as external factors”, said Jonathan Copley, head of the Care & Social Welfare team at McClarrons.
“A loss scenario is always going to be difficult but our in-house claims team try and make it as stress-free as possible by managing the situation, appointing loss adjusters and third party professionals where necessary. This allows for a fair settlement as quickly as we can arrange.”
For any queries you have about your insurances, please do not hesitate to contact Jonathan Copley at jonathan.copley@networkportfolio.co.uk/mcclarroninsurance.com or by phoning 01653 697055.
