Health Minister announces intention to ‘top up’ wages of care workers who are forced ‘to choose between self isolating and paying their bills’

Social care workers in Wales could see their wages ‘topped up’ if they have to self isolate in a bid to remove the ‘invidious position’ of people having to choose between ‘doing the right thing’ and making ends meeting.

The Health Minister Vaughan Gething announced the plan at today’s Welsh Government lunchtime briefing.

The Minister said, “Today I also want to talk about our social care workers who are playing a leading role in protecting our society and helping us to deal with coronavirus but they’re also amongst our lowest paid workers and many only receive statutory sick pay if they have to self isolate or take sickness leave because of Coronavirus.

“That drop of income for doing the right thing is not only unfair, but it also increases the risk of spreading the virus. It is forcing some people to have to choose between self isolating and paying their bills.

“So today I’m committing to find a solution to the problem.

“We’ll be speaking with employers, trade unions and the WLGA to see how we can make sure that social care workers don’t lose out financially when they’re doing the right thing to help stop the spread of a virus.

“Now this is a complex area. So we’re working through the details, but my intention is very clear. Social care workers should not be penalised financially for self isolating and taking time off because of coronavirus.

“I’ll make a further announcement soon but my expectation is that we will top up the wages to 100% of their normal wages.

“There are of course, broader long term questions about the terms of the social care workers, but we have to intervene to protect workers and the people they care for during this unfinished pandemic.”

He added: “There is an unanswered question for the UK Government and broader support for people in others and other sectors who can only fall back on statutory sick pay.

“It’s a risk to controlling the spread of coronavirus if people are not financially supported to do the right thing and self isolate when advised to do so via contact tracing teams.

“We’ve discussed this public health risk on a number of occasions between the four governments, we’ve urged the UK government to take action.

“I look forward to definitive action being taken as soon as possible to help protect each and every one of us here in Wales, and indeed across United Kingdom.”

Locally in Wrexham we heard accounts from factory workers who faced a similar dilemma during the Rowan Food outbreak, and we have previously asked Ministers several times about situations where people may not wish to take a test knowing that a positive result could have economic impacts not just to them, but fellow housemates or friends and family.

That situation had been described as ‘perverse‘ by the First Minister at a previous briefing in June, with the answer regularly being given that such solutions would be for UK Government to solve.

Following today’s announcement for care workers we asked the Health Minister why the ‘urgency’ for this move was not apparent earlier, and why the Welsh Government  can’t unilaterally enable limited targeted support for future outbreak areas to stop the ‘perverse’ issue reoccurring in future outbreaks.

Mr Gething said: “Well, there’s the reality of both our legal powers and our financial ability to make choices.

“We’re now in a position finally having had the awaited consequential funding that I’ve been able to provide financial support for the social care sector, and the reason why residential care in particular has been such a factor, you and colleagues have rightly been asking questions throughout this about how we’re protecting that group of vulnerable people in a closed setting.

“Workers were put in the invidious position of choosing statutory sick pay, and often a loss of income, not being able to pay their bills, what that means for them and their family or doing the right thing for the people they care for.

“We understand that nearly 90% of people in residential social care have statutory sick pay as their default sick pay provision. So it’s a real issue within that sector. That’s why we’re looking to do something about it.”

“The broader issue is one that we have continually discussed over the last few months with the UK Government. The First Minister has raised it, I’ve raised it. We haven’t yet had a satisfactory response to our letters.

“The First Minister had a response from the Prime Minister to his letter, which didn’t address the issue. I’ve raised it, as indeed has cabinet health colleagues in the other national devolved governments with the UK Government.”

“Now, to be fair, I think there is a serious conversation within the UK Government at looking to do something akin to the system they have in Germany, where people are supported financially if they’re advised by a contact tracing service that they should be self isolating.

“We know that’s a risk for the continued spread of coronavirus because people do make these difficult choices and they wont always prioritise the wider good of stopping the spread of coronavirus compared to the impact on their family.

“I think this is really a matter where only the UK government can act because it’s partly about the money, to make sure there’s money available in areas we can’t anticipate, and you’ll be aware that keeping a big reserve in case we have an outbreak that we then need to provide funding for is a very difficult position to be in as we have other really significant challenges.”

“It’s also matter that if we need to change the law to have a consistent the UK wide picture, then those powers are really going to go over a number of areas that are reserved to the UK Parliament.”

“So we look forward, as I say to the issue being addressed this is not just a risk for us here in Wales, its is a risk for us in every part of the United Kingdom. So I look forward to action being taken as soon as possible.”

The BBC asked for more details on the promise to top up wages for care workers who are self isolating, asking what timescales are envisaged to find a solution ahead of any winter issues.

The Health Minister said: “I can’t give a definitive time because of course, we need to work through details with a range of employees as well as local government. I’m very clear that I want this resolved in a matter of weeks, not months, because we are coming up to the autumn.”

“We know that when we get into the autumn period more of us will have coronavirus-like symptoms, colds, cough, any return of the seasonal flu, there will be people out of the workplace, self isolating doing the right thing and we know this is a risk.

“It’s been in SAGE papers in the advice of our own Technical Advisory Group, that financial support is a real issue and especially in the residential care sector, where we know people are working with vulnerable people.

“So as soon as possible. I’m looking to inject some urgency in getting some agreement now we’ve got the financial support to make this happen for workers in the social care sector. As I say broader questions for the UK government about support for all workers who are relying on statutory sick pay.”

Reacting to today’s announcement from the Health Minister, Tanya Palmer, UNISON Cymru Wales regional secretary said: “It’s important to hear Welsh government acknowledge the serious concerns of care workers and Vaughan Gething deserves credit for listening to the trade unions.

“This approach is in stark contrast to the Westminster government.

“Employees on zero-hours or precarious contracts at private or non-profit care homes are already on low wages. They face financial hardship if they have to self-isolate.”

“People shouldn’t be faced with a choice of making ends meet or following public health advice and helping prevent the spread of the virus. ”

“UNISON believes workers self-isolating shouldn’t have to take a financial hit for doing the right thing. They should be paid in full, with the government stepping in to help out smaller employers where necessary. ”

“We want to work with Welsh government to look at how emergency measures could financially protect these low-paid workers caring for the most vulnerable in society including the elderly and sick who are most at risk if they become infected.”

Kelly Andrews, GMB Union’s Social Care Lead, commented: “It’s is only right the social care workforce should receive full pay – rather than the completely inadequate statutory sick pay – when they are unable to attend work.

“Many carers are part time, low paid and just can’t afford to take time off if all they get is £95 a week SSP. ”

“That means care workers faced with the terrible choice between coming into work when they should be isolating – putting residents and colleagues at risk – or not being able to keep a roof over their families’ heads. It’s a deadly and completely unnecessary situation for them to be put in. ”

“We look forward to working with Welsh Government and employers to make this a reality as soon as possible. ”

“Meanwhile Westminster must learn from Wales and put this policy in place across England.”

You can view the full briefing and Q&A session on the below video:

Yn fyw nawr gyda’r Gweinidog Iechyd, Vaughan Gething | Live now with Health Minister, Vaughan Gething https://t.co/t5T2ZzgVGU

— Welsh Government (@WelshGovernment) August 25, 2020

No other media from North Wales has attended the recent First Minister or Health Minister briefings, a situation that has been disappointingly common throughout the pandemic.