Care fit for carers: Ensuring the safety and welfare of NHS and care workers during and after Covid-19

Article

Covid-19 is one of the most significant threats our country has faced in modern times. The prime minister has gone as far as to compare it to a wartime event. But war, and events like it, always requires a change in the social contract. The first world war had ‘homes fit for heroes’; the second world war ‘from cradle to grave’. Covid-19 must see similar intervention: ‘care fit for carers’.

This report provides new evidence on the experience of the healthcare workforce during Covid-19 to date – from IPPR/YouGov polling of healthcare workers and the general public; an IPPR consultation; and from literature review. It shows that without further bold action in the days, weeks and months to come by the UK government and NHS England (and the NHS in the rest of the UK) the country’s healthcare workforce will face significant health, mental health and welfare challenges.

The UK government must not be sparing in providing the health and care workforce what they need. After all, they can only do right by us, if we do right by them. 'Care fit for carers' means making five core guarantees.

  • A safety guarantee.
  • An accommodation guarantee.
  • A mental health guarantee.
  • A pay guarantee.
  • A care guarantee.

To better understand what social care workers need during this crisis, IPPR ran a consultation through the sector. Read the responses to this consultation here.

Related items

  1. An illustration of an ideal public transport system: a smiling family cross a road near a green bus with houses and trees in the background

    The transport challenge for low-income households

    Many people living on low incomes in the UK are limited in their ability to access the building blocks of a good life because of poor transport provision.

  2. Towards universal opportunity for young people

    Outlining a vision for young people which could increase social mobility while also reducing inequality and disadvantage, so that every young person has the opportunity to build a decent life.

  3. Harry Quilter-Pinner on Channel 4 News discussing one year of Labour and Starmer in power