Should carers/support workers for the elderly have higher wages?
Yes I do. I work in a residential home for the elderly that is run by the NHS (although the building belongs to the local council) and it is going to close in 3 years time. At the moment we are lucky as we get enhanced pay for nights, weekends and bank holidays but we have agency workers who say that the going rate now is a flat rate of between £7.00 – £7.50 an hour (it sounds like you’re on the minimum wage which is even worse) with absolutely no enhancements at all even nights. That means it`s a wage of £280.00 a week or approx £1,125 a month before stoppages. Probably be about £875 a month after stoppages for a months work looking after the elderly……not very good is it?…and I am a senior care assistant with 17 years experience and have NVQ3 in Health & Social Care. EDIT: It’s always baffled me how some nursing homes manage to attract and keep good staff when they only pay the minimum wage.
