Dear Member
We hope you are well and taking care of yourselves.
We know that many staff have offered to volunteer to support the vulnerable members of our community. Whilst not everyone is in a position to volunteer, and no one should be obliged to do so, it is very encouraging to see Council staff echoing the response to the NHS’s call for volunteers. There will be many additional tasks that people require: picking up medication, delivering food or even a quick phone call to check that someone is alright. We welcome that the Council is being proactive in this approach, and working with other agencies as appropriate.
However we also wish to raise some points with regards the Council’s call for volunteers to provide domiciliary home care, in order that you are aware of Wirral Union’s position and how we are communicating this to the council.
Wirral Unison knows that during this difficult time, it is imperative that the care sector is supported and that robust systems are put into place so that vulnerable people receive the care they need. Early on during the crisis we called upon the Council to review all care packages so that any client who may need additional support, with tasks not normally facilitated through care packages, such as shopping or simply having a cup of tea and a chat could be identified. We expected that many of our members, who felt able, would volunteer for such tasks and communicated this to the council.
However, we were surprised last week when an email was sent to staff which included, washing, dressing and administering medication amongst the tasks that volunteers may be expected to complete. During a meeting with council we made it clear that Wirral Unison considers these tasks to be core activities which should not be delivered by volunteers. Last week when the call went out for NHS volunteers we were delighted that over 700,000 people nationwide signed up to volunteer; a magnificent community response. However, the NHS call was clear, they were asking volunteers to help with ancillary tasks: to deliver shopping to vulnerable people, transport patients to and from hospital, drive medicines and equipment to NHS facilities and check up on isolated individuals by telephone. Essential work, but work that in the current crisis could reasonably be asked of a volunteer workforce. We had anticipated that the call from the Council would be similar and we are aware that many of you have contacted us with concerns about the nature of the work you are potentially being asked to carry out.
Our priority is to ensure your health and safety is not being compromised throughout this crisis and this applies both to your day jobs and any voluntary work you are carrying out as a result of the crisis. To this end, we have called upon the council to ensure that Unison is consulted with, prior to any voluntary work beginning which would potentially impact on the health and safety of our members, including sharing risk assessments and strategies to ensure safety. We have asked the Council to clarify how the provision of PPE will be managed and who will provide appropriate PPE for volunteers. We have asked about training for volunteers, namely what training will be provided and who will provide it. We have additionally asked how volunteers will be paid for any additional costs they might incur for carrying out voluntary work, petrol and insurance costs for example.
As said we are concerned about the administration of medication and personal care being provided by volunteers. The Council suggests that in many cases volunteers will be working with an experienced carer. We are awaiting clarification on this point; but currently it is only the most challenging of clients who have two carers; many people receive only one care worker. Will volunteers be working alone?
We are also aware that a number of you have been concerned about multiple calls asking for volunteers via various means, text message, email, letter etc. and some of you have reported that you feel you are being pressured into completing work that you do not feel you are in a position to offer. Please be reassured by us that we are in regular contact with the Council and any volunteering is on a voluntary basis.
We welcome our members coming forward to help in these difficult times, but we don’t want anyone to feel they have do something they feel uncomfortable with. If anyone is volunteering, they must know they exact nature of what they are volunteering for, they must receive appropriate training and support, and they (and the client) must be safe.
We have written to the Council on this points are awaiting the Council’s response to the points we have raised, which we will of course shared in due course.
Lois and Dave
Dave: davidnjones@wirral.gov.uk 07880199539
Lois: loisfounds1@wirral.gov.uk 07384512521
Published on: March 31, 2020