Labour MP David Crausby is championing care workers and service users by endorsing UNISON’s Ethical Care Charter.
Mr Crausby, the Labour MP for Bolton North East, has added his name to a petition organised by Bolton UNISON branch asking Bolton council to adopt the charter, which aims to improve homecare commissioning for the benefit of both staff and service users.
“Homecare staff look after our parents, our brothers and sisters, our friends. They help them to live independently and with dignity,” said Mr Crausby.
“But too often they are on low wages, with a huge workload and simply not enough time to provide the best quality care.
“UNISON has set out some very reasonable proposals to help ensure that care workers have decent pay and conditions, so that they can focus on looking after the people that we care about.”
The union developed the charter after a nationwide survey of homecare staff revealed a system in crisis, with a committed but poorly paid and treated workforce.
Its aim is to establish a baseline for the “safety, quality and dignity of care”. It acheives this by creating employment conditions – more sustainable pay, conditions and training levels – that ensure the recruitment and retention of a more stable workforce.
Welcoming Mr Crausby’s support, Bolton UNISON communications officer Martin Challender commented: “One thing is for certain – quality care cannot be provided on the cheap. It needs investment.”