Prospective MPs urged to back new national care service

General election candidates from all parties are being asked to support the creation of a new national care service in England. UNISON says too many people across the country cannot access the social care they desperately need because the current system is broken. The union wants to see a new service based on high quality care and a fairly rewarded workforce. Although these changes wouldn’t happen overnight, the union believes the reforms would put an end to 15-minute home care visits, long waits for care packages, and low wages for staff. A national care service would also mean the quality of care is of the same high standard, no matter where in the country it was being provided, says UNISON. Wages would also be boosted with a new fair pay agreement, lifting care jobs off minimum wage rates and standardising salaries across England. This would allow care companies to start filling the huge 152,000 vacancies hole in the sector’s workforce, says UNISON. A national care service would also assist families trying to find out more about the level of care provision on offer locally. The union says that trying to navigate the current system to secure any kind of support can be confusing, complicated, and extremely stressful. Labour has already pledged to create a national care service and a new fair pay agreement for care workers if the party forms the next government. Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting was the first politician to show his support by signing UNISON’s pled...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: News Press release General election 2024 national care service pledge card wes streeting Source Type: news