Care bonus: 'Unfair' exclusion for some care home workers

Some staff being excluded from the £1,000 bonus care workers will get in Wales is "unfair", workers and politicians have said.

About 53,000 registered care home and home care workers are due to receive the payment from the Welsh government.

The bonus, which will cost £96m, aims to "recognise the value" of the care force, and help with staff retention.

But the government has said the bonus will not be offered to auxiliary staff such as cleaning and kitchen workers.

Anwen Jones, a kitchen assistant at Plas Hafan care home in Nefyn, Gwynedd, said the decision makes some workers feel "not as worthy".

"I feel it's quite unfair because it's not about the money, it's about splitting up the home, making you feel not as good as the rest of the workers there," she said.

"We've always worked as a team in the home we work in, and we feel like it's splitting us all up."

Kim Ombler, manager of the Glan Rhos Nursing Home in Brynsiencyn on Anglesey and Member of Care Forum Wales, agreed it was unfair the auxiliary staff will not receive the £1,000 bonus, due to be paid this month.

"I think it's very very unfair… doesn't matter what part of the team you are in, you are a very important part of the team," she said.

"If one cog goes missing from the wheel it all breaks down and our auxiliary staff are a very important part of our team going forward."

Mabon ab Gwynfor, the Plaid Cymru Dwyfor Meirionnydd MS, said: "Everyone involved in the care homes have played their part, from carers, managers, cleaners and cooks.

"It's therefore wrong that part of the workforce have been denied a bonus payment, and sends the wrong message.

"I've asked the government to publish the rationale behind this decision, and I've tabled a Statement of opinion in the Senedd and am asking my fellow members to sign it."

Welsh Conservative MS Darren Millar said: "While I welcome bonus scheme for the care workforce in Wales it does seem to be grossly unfair that other workers in care homes such as kitchen staff, cleaners, caretakers and maintenance staff are being excluded.

"People working in these posts have gone above and beyond during the pandemic and were very much on the frontlines during the pandemic."

Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS has previously written to Deputy Minister for Social Services Julie Morgan MS to call for the payment to be expanded to ancillary staff.

Ms Dodds said: "These staff are absolutely vital to the running of care homes and deserve to be recognised for their hard work in what was an extremely difficult period.

"I would once again urge Labour to consider extending this payment to this wider team of staff who have gone above and beyond during the pandemic."

The Welsh government has highlighted that ancillary staff benefited from schemes in 2020 and 2021, which made payments of £500 and £735.

A government spokesperson said: "This additional payment is different from the previous schemes. It is aligned with the introduction of the Real Living Wage for those, largely professionally registered, social care workers.

"While ancillary staff in care homes work in the social care sector, and provide essential support that helps maintain the quality of provision, they are not delivering personal care services and are not required to register as social care professionals with Social Care Wales.

"They are therefore not within the scope of this particular initiative."