A "proud" carer with two decades of experience says more needs to be done to inspire people to enter the profession. Ludovic Lecler admits that for many people, the reputation of a low pay package and poor work-life balance might put them off applying for a position in care.
But he also spoke of the gratification received from patients and their families for going the extra mile, and the knowledge that the job is helping someone to live their life. The 51-year-old has worked in social care for more than two decades and has found it very rewarding.
Having grown up in France, where it is common for older students to help and support pupils at school with learning disabilities, he was inspired early to continue to make a difference. Mr Lecler, who works as localities manager across Bath and Bristol for Dimensions, an organisation which provides care to adults with learning disabilities, is determined to tackle the underappreciated side of care and show how rewarding a role in the industry can be.
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He told Bristol Live that the profession is not valued and despite the highly specialised requirements that jobs in care often carry, there has been very little progress in terms of the pay offered to support workers. “The people and colleagues that chose to work in this field are by nature caring individuals, willing to go the extra mile to make a difference in someone’s life,” he added.
Since December 2022, tens of thousands of healthcare professionals have been going on strike across England, Wales and Northern Ireland in a dispute over pay. And the strikes are set to continue in February as workers battle for better pay and safer working conditions.
He said: "The plight faced by the NHS, is and has been in many ways the same for the care sector. This often requires working unsociable hours since we have a duty of care to provide in many cases 24/7 support all year around. It means striking a work-life balance that is right can be difficult to achieve and this is very much due to the long-standing and ongoing shortage of staff that the sector experiences. It takes a devoted person to work in the care sector."
Mr Lecler said attracting potential candidates is made more difficult because of the low pay when compared to other industries. He said those working in a supermarket are being paid more without the added "pressure and responsibility" experience by a care professional. He added: "The current energy bills and cost of living increase have made this an even bigger challenge to the already complicated needs around recruitment."
He told Bristol Live that while the healthcare sector does its best to promote itself, to help prevent stigmatisation the responsibility lies with the senior executives of government and leaders to help people recognise its "true value".
Mr Lecler is the recent recipient of an Inspiring People Award for his work in the sector. Although he was proud of his achievement he said it was the "result of teamwork". He spoke of how his team supported a terminally ill patient who wished to spend her last days at home surrounded by family.
He said although it can be challenging at times, treating a person with "love, tender care and comfort right up to the very end" makes the job worthwhile. He added: "It makes me proud to be part of a team that all share the same values and will always have the people we support at the core of why we do what we do."
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