Summary
Primary care providers are urged to back the Greater Manchester campaign to improve support for working carers and the disabled workforce.
The Greater Manchester People and Culture Health and Care Group encourages all health and care employers to use two important resources to review the support in place for these invaluable members of the workforce and develop a plan for implementing the good practice.
The resources are: the Greater Manchester Working Carers Toolkit and the Foundations for Change Disability Framework
There are two virtual sessions in November to talk through implementation, with an opportunity to hear from employers who have already made great progress.
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In addition, one representative from each employer is asked to complete a pre-campaign survey to provide a baseline and enable the team to measure the impact and benefit to your workforce.
Carers UK estimates that over a quarter of all workers are currently juggling work and care, and yet a recent report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) suggests that only one third of employers have either a formal written policy or even an informal verbal policy in place to support working carers to stay in work and balance working and caring.
There are also five million disabled people in work in the UK, and yet disabled people are nearly twice as likely to leave their jobs as non-disabled people. Scope has identified that some of the top reasons disabled people leave their job include inflexible working patterns, negative attitudes and discrimination and challenges getting reasonable adjustments.
The Greater Manchester People and Culture Health and Care Group, chaired by Karen James, Chief Executive at Tameside and Glossop NHS IC Foundation Trust and Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, is made up of leaders from across health and social care and oversees the delivery of the GM People and Culture Strategy.
