* Keri Llewellyn, the vice-chair of Care Forum Wales.
The increasing number of care workers
self-isolating is potentially more of a danger to vulnerable people in Wales
than the Covid-19 virus, a social care leader has warned.
According to Keri Llewellyn, the vice chair of Care
Forum Wales, they were getting reports of care homes and domiciliary care
companies where 40 per cent of the staff were at having to quarantine at home.
As a result, a growing number of providers were
struggling to give the required level of care – and the situation was
only going to get worse with Covid cases skyrocketing.
Social services departments were being affected by
the same problem which meant that there were no staff reinforcements from there
available.
Although, thankfully, the number of people falling
seriously ill and needing hospital treatment was falling, Care Forum Wales was
concerned that some care home residents and people receiving care in their own
homes could be at risk.
They were by definition in fragile health and often
needed a high level of care.
The situation was already having a knock-on impact
on the NHS because the reduced capacity of domiciliary care companies and care
homes was making it increasingly difficult to discharge hospital patients back
into the community.
The Welsh Government has announced that from August
7 fully-vaccinated people will not need to self-isolate if they come in close
contact with someone who has tested positive.
Care Forum Wales say they are looking forward to
discussing with the Welsh Government what this means for social care and any
additional measures for staff working in health and care settings.
Ms Llewellyn, who is also
managing director of home care provider All-Care which works across South
Wales, said: “I’m up to 40 per cent of staff not working at any given time at
the moment, which is huge.
“Clearly, we’re in the
third wave and the infection rate is rising but it’s not got the same feel
because it’s not as bad and the hospitals are not as affected, but capacity has
gone right through the floor.
“We can’t carry on providing
the same service to everyone in the community while we’ve got that many staff
off.
“They can’t get people out
of hospital clearly, so there’s already a backlog to free up hospitals because
they can’t move them on to having care because nobody has the capacity.
“We’re facing a perfect
storm. As well as the increasing number of people self-isolating.
“Over the past year or so
child care has often been provided by partners on furlough but with people back
in work that’s not an option either.”
The concern was echoed by
Care Forum Wales chief executive Mary Wimbury who said: “Everybody is seeing increased pressure.
“Even though at the height of the pandemic things
were very much worse in terms of severe illness, because we are opening up many
more people are putting themselves in situations where they’re potentially
being exposed to Covid and they’re having to self-isolate.
“As a result the number of people self-isolating is
also on a steep upward curve.
“Schools are now open and we know lots of
infections are coming through them which means that parents have to
self-isolate.
“Even if the child is a contact and not actually
infected it can still take some of the workforce out because of child care
issues.
“As part of the easing of restrictions, the Welsh
Government have said that people who are fully
vaccinated will not need to self-isolate if they are a close contact of someone
who has tested positive from August 7 onwards.
“The vast majority of
social care staff are fully vaccinated as are the people receiving care.
“We’ve got some positive data on vaccinated people
reducing transmission but if you’re caring for vulnerable people the risk is
still there, even though it’s reduced.
“According to Professor David John Spiegelhalter, an eminent expert on understanding
risk, a vaccinated 80 year old has the same risk as an unvaccinated 50 year
old, so the risk has not gone away.
“We will be discussing
with the Welsh Government the arrangements they have suggested will need to be
in place for those in the care sector who would previously have been required
to self-isolate after being in contact with somebody who has Covid.”
“Caution should still
be the watchword in Wales but we have also got to be in a position where we can
deliver services.
“We are very concerned
providers we are going to reach a point where vulnerable people are at risk
because there are not enough staff to care for them.
“I think that’s the
biggest risk currently for the sector. You can’t function without people to
provide care and that potentially is a bigger danger than the virus currently.
“There were staffing
issues in social care before the pandemic struck and this is having a massive
knock on effect. It’s making things really difficult.
“There needs to be
some serious number crunching and working out how to balance all these
different pressures to determine the best possible solution.”
