Domiciliary Care is the aiding and caring for individuals (Adults and Children) whilst they live at their own home – Not to be confused with ‘Residential Care Homes’ or ‘Residential Nursing Homes’, which is the care of people in a purpose-built facility.

There are around half a million carers in the UK – they are often thought of as undervalued and unappreciated. Many of them have qualifications relevant to the occupation, they are kept up to date by their employers with the latest regulations and laws with intense training. They work long unsocial hours for minimum wage or close to minimum wage, yet most are professional in their work and provide a service that is essential to hundreds of thousands of mainly elderly people.

The Domiciliary care sector is under pressure and underfunded in normal times. The press always focuses on the NHS, however the poor cousin in this chain, is the care given at home.

If the Covid-19 pandemic follows that of Italy and other countries, then the UK Government will close all the schools until the current Pandemic slows down, this could be maybe for weeks.

Updated message

The Government has admirably shown some forethought so far, by offering financial help for small companies with things like funding sick pay for instance.

My original message stated:

1.       If the Covid-19 pandemic follows that of Italy and other countries, then the UK Government will close all the schools until the current Pandemic slows down, this could be maybe for weeks.  – Now this has occurred and been put into place

2.        It is likely that around 50% of our care staff will be unable to attend work due to not having childcare in place’. – This is now no longer such a big problem and I am happy with Boris and his government so far by allowing Key workers to have childcare at school, however some nursery age children is still causing an issue.

The problem is likely to be compounded by the fact that the NHS will be overburdened and will be trying to discharge patients from hospital to home, many of whom would need care visits in their own homes to assist with their convalescence.

It could also allow employers such as myself to offer enhanced rates of pay to staff during out of hours, then we could alleviate some of the impact by staff working shifts that otherwise they would not consider, such as very late shifts, very early shifts, weekends and nights. (NB times when they may have childcare options in place to call on from partners and family members who themselves would not be at work during these unsociable hours).

Even the staff who have no childcare issues who could work normally but may also be off work to self-isolate if they contract the virus themselves. Thus, compounding an already critical situation.

The politicians must themselves have elderly members in their own families, and we need them to consider the thought of their own Mother or Father at home who are unable to move out of their bed or chair to go to the toilet, or empty their catheter bag, to have a meal and a drink and take their medication, much less having a familiar friendly face to give them some cheer. Please be prepared to help us, if this crisis unfolds Mr Johnson.