MORE than 90 per cent of East Ayrshire care workers have backed industrial action unless a review is held into a new rota system they claim is ‘sabotaging care for vulnerable people’.
The GMB union says that the rota has left its members with unmanageable workloads and service users receiving substandard care.
In a union survey, one worker said they felt like they were having a heart attack due to the stress they were under.
A vast majority of workers have backed industrial action unless a review is completed of the rota system across East Ayrshire’s ‘North’ sector.
But East Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership, which provides care services on behalf of East Ayrshire Council, says that the changes were made in discussions with HR and the trade unions.
And while they acknowledge that staff absences and unfilled vacancies had put pressure on workers, they say that they are now turning a corner.
East Ayrshire has consistently been the lowest of the three Ayrshire authorities when it comes to delayed discharges from hospital, largely because care packages for older people have been put in place by a service mainly delivered ‘in-house’
However, the impact of the new rota on these in-house staff has been significant. But an increase in the share of care now being provided by the independent sector is helping to turn the tide, according to the director of health and social care in East Ayrshire, Craig McArthur.
A poll of trade union members backed up issues that had been highlighted in a care inspection last month.
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Almost three out of four (69 per cent) local authority carers said the changes to shift patterns had adversely impacted their work and personal lives, 80 per cent said they cannot now finish their calls before their shift ends, and 93 per cent backed industrial action unless the rotas are reviewed.
The Care Inspectorate picked up on similar complaints following an inspection of care at home in the north of the authority last month.
Their report stated: “Staffing arrangements were inadequate. The calculation of service capacity did not fully consider vacancies and absence leading to permanent shortage and crisis management.
“Staff were working really hard to mitigate the shortages however this was not sustainable.
“Staff reported that they were exhausted and felt unheard.”
Inspectors also highlighted how staffing numbers were insufficient for the demand.
Howard Wilkin, the union’s organiser in East Ayrshire Council, said: “Care workers were already working under huge pressure but these rushed and ill-considered changes to their rota has made their job almost impossible.
“Managers seem to have no idea what their role involves and believe they can simply demand they do more and more in less and less time.
“There are serious consequences, however, and they are being felt by our members and the people they care for.
“Care workers are being made ill because of the stress while the people who rely on their expert care are being failed as our members rush from one visit to the next without time to take breath.
“These new rotas must be reviewed in consultation with the staff and that must be done as a matter of urgency.”
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The GMB survey revealed that some staff were asked to do 24 home visits in a single shift, some visits were much later than scheduled and care workers would have just 10 minutes with each person.
Mr McArthur said: “The HSCP is as always incredibly proud and appreciative of all our staff involved in the care at home service, in frontline care and office roles alike, who have responded to our calls in a difficult period.
“A new rota and shift pattern was introduced in care at home North service following extensive discussion and engagement with HR and trade union colleagues.”
He added that employees were offered meetings with HR, management and Trade Union colleagues and, ‘where appropriate’, changes made to accommodate individual circumstances.
He did accept the launch of the rota came at a time of higher absences and vacancies, resulting in staff being asked to cover more care visits then normal and some working longer than normal.
“This is a situation that we are seeking to address urgently,” he said.
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