The Kingsmill Report on working conditions in the UK care sector is “A comprehensive programme of recommendations that would begin to redress the exploitation of the homecare workforce,” said UNISON’s Head of Local Government, Heather Wakefield.
The report, released today, (15 May) recommends a new care charter based on the Ethical Care Charter pioneered by UNISON which would be binding on all local authorities. It would ensure that the care they commission is not delivered on the backs of exploited workers and would be policed by the Care Quality Commission.
The Charter described in the report would commit councils to ending 15-minute visits, ensuring providers pay care workers for their travel time and end the use of exploitative zero hour contracts. It would also ensure councils and service providers are transparent in their price setting.
The report, authored by Baroness Denise Kingsmill, sought the views of several of the union’s members who are employed as homecare workers.
Heather Wakefield added:
“Many of the issues tackled by the Kingsmill report were not even being discussed a few years ago. We’ve worked hard over the past 18 months to get councils to adopt the UNISON Charter voluntarily, and if councils like Islington, Southwark, Wirral, Reading, Renfrewshire and Lancashire can make this commitment, we believe that other councils should too.
“We also welcome the focus on strengthening the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage, and the recognition of the damage done to care quality by widespread use of zero hours contracts. Until these Victorian working practices are stamped out of care altogether it will be impossible to raise the status and standing of care.
“People who rely on homecare deserve dignity and respect, and the only way to deliver high quality care is to ensure that workers receive adequate training and good quality conditions.”
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