Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health Integration presented a report on the Ethical Care Charter, launched by the UNISON Union, which sought to establish a minimum baseline for the safety, quality and dignity of care by ensuring fair conditions for homecare workers.

The Charter covered aspects such as service user needs, remuneration, contracts, training and continuity of service.  The Cabinet Member referred to the Council’s positive position on each aspect, with minimum 30 minute appointments, providers paying at least the National Living Wage and the majority paying the London Living Wage and a survey of service users showing that over 92% were satisfied with the home care service that they received over the last three months.  Cabinet Members were also pleased to note that the Council was addressing the issue of zero-hour contracts and that robust training and monitoring arrangements were in place. 

Cabinet Members placed on record their appreciation of UNISON for initiating and promoting the Charter and of the work of the Cabinet Member, the Strategic Director and her staff to ensure that Barking and Dagenham’s home care services were fit for purpose.

Cabinet resolved to agree that the Council signs up to the principles outlined in the UNISON Ethical Care Charter for the commissioning of homecare.