Many frontline social care workers in Salford are working more than 80 hours a week to make "a decent living", according to a union boss. The claim came after city councillors were prompted by Unison over an election pledge by city mayor Paul Dennett that an "insourcing commission" would be established to take adult social care back into local authority control.
Currently, there are four private companies delivering adult social care in the city - Creative Support, Turning Point, United Response and Salford Cares. Salford's health and social care scrutiny panel was addressed by frontline worker Julia Mwaluke who said: "There are still people getting under £9 an hour in Salford [for working in adult social care]. How long can this situation go on?"
She said that she was working long hours to make ends meet. And her comments were echoed after the meeting by Salford Unison branch secretary Steve North, who said that "insourcing" of adult social care was a "political commitment" made by Mr Dennett when he was re-elected in 2021. He said: "The pandemic has exposed a problem we know has existed for a while - that care is being delivered for profit rather than need.
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"We wanted to see the establishment of an insourcing commission to look at bringing social care back into public ownership." He said he wanted the council to see what the benefits of local authority delivery would be, possibly in partnership with the NHS.
He conceded that "things had happened" but they [Salford City Council] have moved slowly. "As far as we are aware the council is still committed to doing this, but we need to see progress," he continued.
"We want to ensure that the insourcing commission captures the voices of those working in frontline social care and receiving social care. Because the wages are so low, in order to make a half-decent living, in social care, you've got to work ridiculous hours.
"They are often contracted to work 40 hours a week, but often work up to 80 hours or more." At the panel meeting, Charlotte Ramsen, Salford's strategic director people, said the city mayor had "a strong commitment to public services being delivered through the council where it's appropriate". But she added: "It is not appropriate in all circumstances.
"He [Mr Dennett] asked us to establish an insourcing commission. A lot of work has taken place [on this] in the last year. We are looking at who should be delivering services, setting up an insourcing commission comprising councillors, officers and members of Unison."
She said the commission met several times last autumn and a report went to the council. Ms Ramsden went on: "We need to review contracts in the order in which they arise. We have looked at adult social care contracts and looked at the insourcing commission and resolved that it should not be a decision-making body, but it should make recommendations.
"Work would be shared with the insourcing commission to test options and then recommendations could be made. The views of the insourcing commission would be added to reports. If there are issues within current contract management we are happy to hear them and pick them up."
Councillor John Warmisher said told the acting chairman of the panel Irfan Syed: "I think you should raise this at the next Labour group meeting. This is political. I feel strongly this should be raised at Labour group."
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