Ethical Care Charter for Commissioning Home Care

Back to all Motions

Conference
2014 National Retired Members Conference
Date
25 June 2014
Decision
Carried as Amended

Conference welcomes the publication of Time to Care, UNISON’s Report into home care and an Ethical Care Charter for commissioning home care which sets out the following principles:

1. Visits shall be based on client need and appropriate care will be provided. Time allocated will match need and 15 minutes will not generally be appropriate

2. Homecare workers will not be forced to rush their time with clients and will be paid for travel time, full travel costs and necessary expenses such as mobile phones,

3. Continuity of care will be provided wherever possible by staff who have been trained to provide a good standard of care in work time and at no expense to themselves

4. Homecare Workers will have the opportunity to meet regularly as co- workers to share best practice and limit isolation

5. Providers will have clear and accountable procedures to follow up staff concerns about the wellbeing of clients.

6. Staff will be paid a living wage, statutory sick pay and be enrolled in an occupational sick pay scheme so they do not feel pressured to work when ill and thus protect vulnerable clients

7. Zero hours contracts will not be used in place of permanent contracts

Conference calls on the National Retired Members’ Committee to work with Labour Link to seek Labour Party support for the charter.

It further calls upon the Committee to work with the NEC, National Pensioners Convention and TUC Pensioners Networks to promote the Charter and seek its adoption by Councils and other providers of home care, having regard to the guidance in the report.