Care leader calls for ‘parity of pay’ for ‘overlooked’ social care workforce

Swallow Court managing director Leah Marsh
Swallow Court managing director Leah Marsh

A care leader in Cornwall has said care workers should be given key worker status and parity of pay with the NHS and hospitality.

Leah Marsh, managing director of Swallowcourt, which runs six care home in Cornwall, said health and social care was being run as a “two-tier system” with social care the “poor relation”.

Marsh said: “As a direct impact of insufficient government funding and a competitive job market, many social care providers are unable to increase wages in line with the cost-of-living increases and we cannot afford to compete with the NHS or hospitality who can pay higher wages, further compounded by the increasing pressures associated with escalating operating costs.”

The care home leader said social care was being overlooked in support schemes offered to key workers.

“A particularly acute problem in Cornwall is a complete lack of affordable accommodation and with recent announcements by the NHS in Cornwall to build ‘Keyworker Accommodation’ and a ‘Keyworker Deposit Contribution Scheme’ launched by national housing development companies, both of which complete overlook the social care sector, the disparity in status and recognition is increasingly apparent,” she said.

Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has applied for planning permission to build keyworker accommodation in Redruth, while key workers in the Southwest can now receive a deposit contribution up to £15,000 for a new home.

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