Welfare and Wellbeing - Domiciliary Care and Care Home Staff

Caring for the most vulnerable people in our local community; people living in care and nursing homes and those that have care support in their own homes; has been an immense challenge for the local care sector throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Concerns about the health and wellbeing of care home and home care staff emerged, highlighting the mental and physical effects that working during COVID-19 has had. Following work that Healthwatch Barking & Dagenham did with local care homes, it has become evident that all care workers are working in ongoing circumstances that are full of risks where staff have been stretched to their limits.

Healthwatch is undertaking a further piece of work to get the views and personal experences of care staff from across the sector, about the impact on their health and wellbeing during this time and what help is in  place to support them.

By contacting and speaking with individuals, Healthwatch seek to understand;

• what access to mental health services are available to managers and staff in these situations?
• how are services communicated to staff?
• how staff welfare is supported in the workplace and how much they feel that COVID has impacted on their day-to-day work?
• whether there are more effective ways to support the workforce?

If you work in a care home or domiciliary care service; perhaps you know someone who does - staff can get involved and give their views here Care Home / Domiciliary Care Staff - Wellbeing and Welfare