The NHS Staff Survey 2020 shows that one in three of the NHS workforce is juggling work and care. In this briefing we explore carers’ experiences working in the NHS, and if they feel supported to balance work and care.
Caring unpaid for older and disabled relatives is an increasing issue for our time and one that is affecting more families and friends. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic the number of unpaid carers was increasing as a result of demographic changes and an ageing population.
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought into stark focus the need to support older, ill or disabled people and their families providing unpaid care. The health and social care system under significant pressure, local services reduced or closed, significant numbers of people having to take extra precautions to protect their own health, and many more people needing support than before, have all increased the need for unpaid care. Polling carried out at the height of pandemic found that an additional 4.5 million people had started caring, and an increase of 2.8 million juggling paid work and care1.
For the first time, the NHS has included a question in its staff survey to identify carers. This is a ground-breaking step which has allowed the NHS to look at how well they are supporting carers as an employer and if there are any differences in services or Trusts.
Previous polling carried out in 2019 estimated that one in five of the NHS workforce was an unpaid carer2 - a higher rate than other sectors because of the number of women and the ages of workers in the NHS. Analysis of the NHS Staff Survey 2020 shows that one in three of the NHS workforce is juggling work and care – far higher than anticipated.
Working carers were already struggling before the COVID-19 pandemic, trying hard to balance providing practical and emotional support, managing appointments, and keeping an eye on the person they care for – all alongside paid work. For some it becomes too much: every day, an estimated 600 people in the UK give up work to care.
The sheer number of people juggling work and care in the NHS shows that it must provide support for carers; and not risk losing this talent from the workforce. The scale of the challenge in a workforce of this size is considerable and our analysis of the NHS Staff Survey shows a mixed picture for unpaid carers working in the NHS. Although the NHS has made many positive steps to support working carers there is still more work to be done.
Carers UK is supporting the NHS to improve its offer to unpaid carers in the workforce, and all 1.3 million employees have access to its Employers for Carers portal and Digital Resource for Carers which gives them dedicated support and information on caring all in one place, as and when they need it.