East Ayrshire home care workers facing 'crisis' as they struggle with workload
Some are having to fit in 20 visits a shift and say it can't be done
Last updated 17th Jan 2024
Home care workers in East Ayrshire are facing a "crisis," according to a union.
GMB Scotland, which represent care staff, says its members are struggling to cope with the pressure of unrealistic workloads.
A survey by the union found that the Care at Home service is being stretched, with some workers having to visit 20 homes in a single shift.
More than four fifths of them said they have had to shorten home visits to vulnerable people to make sure they see everyone they have been assigned to support.
'It can't be done'
Two thirds of members answered that they have been asked to carry-out two-person tasks on their own, while more than half claimed they were requested to train or supervise an untrained colleague while on the job.
Some have even said they've been threatened with disciplinary action if they did not take on another visit after their shift had ended.
One said: “There are heavy workloads and a lot of stress and anxiety.
“Some nights I look at my phone and will have 23 visits to complete. It can’t be done.
“The managers don't answer the phones even if it's an emergency. They don't care as long as the runs are covered.”
Cranking up the pressure
GMB Scotland has written to East Ayrshire Council urging action to address the concerns.
The union’s senior organiser in public services Keir Greenaway says the situation is impacting the service.
He said: "If you are consistently asking carers to deliver the underliverable then that cranks up the pressure on them. We have seen more and more going off with work-related stress.
"We need action. We need more home carers being employed, so that there is an adequate amount of time for visits and home carers can deliver the service they want to for each person that they're caring for."
East Ayrshire council has responded to GMB’s survey.
In a statement, the local authority said the findings would be incorporated into a service improvement action plan which is being presented to a special meeting of the Care at Home Joint Consultative Committee scheduled for next month.