Home care worker tells MPs care work is 'not unskilled'

A care worker told MPs in the House of Commons they need to ditch the perception that care work is unskilled, saying “it is simply not true”.

Chevonne Baker, who works for Right at Home Basingstoke spoke to the Health and Social Care Committee chaired by MP Jeremy Hunt, giving her recommendations for improving retention in the social care sector.

The committee was examining the issues of retention, recruitment and training in health and social care.

Ms Baker believes the label that is often given to care workers as ‘low-skilled’ or ‘unskilled’ is very bad for the profession and makes people feel they are not valued. She said the “hardest challenge at the moment is there are not enough of us to go around” as the demand for care workers is so high.

She added: “I think care has a bit of a bad reputation—it has a bit of a dirty name —which is not helped by the media only showing the negative side. You hear when things go wrong, when stories go haywire, and we are deemed as unskilled workers, which simply is not true. I am trained to be able to walk into a number of different circumstances and situations and to ensure my clients get the best care they deserve.

“Administering care in people's homes means we are able to monitor their care and their situations, and we can spot when they are not quite themselves and when things start to go wrong, so we can contact health care professionals early to minimise any of the effects afterwards. We play a vital role in keeping people at home, keeping them safe, keeping the NHS under slightly less pressure and trying to keep hospitals a bit freer.

"We do an amazing job, but we are still deemed as unskilled and unworthy of any accolade or acclaim that other health care professionals receive."

Ms Baker, who is 24, also raised the issue of pay saying: “Unlike other care providers, Right at Home pays at least the minimum living wage. They now pay 40p a mile for my fuel costs and they pay my travel time. There is a good sense of 'If you take care of us, we will take care of you' so I am well looked after."

MP Lucy Allan thanked her and called her an “absolute role model for others”.

Speaking after her testimony , Ms Baker said: “It went really well. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to express my opinions and represent not just myself but other carers; both in my team and nationally. I felt like there was a lot of pressure on my shoulders to be the voice for so many. I hope some more opportunities will come from this for myself and other carers to drive home the message and spread the word that care workers are worthy of recognition.”

Lucy Campbell, chief executive of Right at Home praised Chevonne Baker for speaking at the committee session, saying: “We are so proud to see Chevonne selected by the Health and Social Care Committee to speak as a ‘lived experience witness’ at their workforce inquiry. In a sector deemed to be low-skilled by the government, Chevonne showcases the passion, talent, and professionalism we really stand for!

“It’s incredible to see someone so young speak up for the industry and tackle such huge issues. We are lucky to have Chevonne in the Right at Home family.”

Last year, her employers at Right at Home Basingstoke entered her into the network's nationwide CareGiver of the Year Award last year. While she lacked the experience of other finalists, judges were so impressed by her enthusiasm and commitment that they created a new Young Ambassador Award in her honour.

You can watch Chevonne Baker discuss her experience on Parliament TV.