The Tragedy of the Health Care Sector

I love my job, but I can’t deny the sector that I’m in has big issues. A lot of things I’ve been holding back on even before the pandemic started, but now I feel confident that I can vent these things out.

Working in the health care sector has always been mentally and physically draining. Last year, our government made everyone clap for carers and NHS workers and branded us all heroes. Many of us who work in the health care sector love our jobs. We feel good helping others have a better quality life. Whilst we may ave had some short-time perks and gifts from the pandemic, it doesn’t take away the stress and tears that many careworkers have been through.

They call people like me heroes and angels, but our own lives do not represent that. Yes, we are lucky to still have jobs, but it’s sad to have worked all those hours and have nothing to look forward to. We’re getting a small pay rise, but it’s not enough to cover the price of living.

Staffing issues have always been an issue. People go on holiday, call in sick or have appointments or personal emergencies. That’s understandable. Some people never show up again. It’s not uncommon to have people walk out.

Despite being a caring profession, the health care industry can be the most bitchiest industry one will ever walk in. I’ve worked in nice places, but also have worked in some terrible ones. They all share the same thing. The good days are calm, happy and wonderful. The bad days are traumatic and draining.

Maybe every workplace has it’s bullies and shit-stirrers, but it seems to be a thing that nobody talks about. I found out a care worker was given an official warning for being off sick after having a mental breakdown. I was disgusted.

As staff levels shorten the paperwork gets bigger and bigger. Staff are overworked and underpaid. Some get punished for having a mental break down. We are so focused on paperwork, task and funding that the basic essentials aren’t being met. Wages aren’t always correct. Staff working long shifts, and I’ve had friends that have worked 17 hours. By law, you must have at least 10 hours rest between each shift, but I know this never happens.

I’ve known people who have worked in care homes for years, and some that only lasted a few shifts. They all tell me the same things that gave me deja vu. Makes me realise how lucky I am to be working in a place we are like a secondary family. There’s times when I think about changing jobs, but after hearing stories about other places, I always change my mind and stay where I am.

The funding cuts, high demands, the staff issues, the lack of support, everything is piling up to the point where even recruitment agencies are struggling to meet demands.

That is why many of the bad care homes are still open. Good places to work are becoming toxic. Some of the best and hard working people are being driven out. They’ve not been sacked or dismissed. It’s simply because working in the health care sector was making them ill. Every day we expose ourselves to infections.

All the PPE and jabs in the world will not stop you getting covid. All you can reduce the risks. I still got a positive test, despite having it earlier in January and getting both jabs and a booster.

I don’t agree with mandatory vaccinations. There’s a reason why people won’t want to be vaccinated and they’ve accepted the risk. If people want to believe everything they read on the internet, let them. The way I see it is that there’s always going to be outbreaks. There’s always going to be a mutations and there’s always going to be new diseases. By the time this pandemic is over (if it’s ever going to be over) there will be something else.

It’s a real big damned if you do and damned if you don’t! I feel like society has been split apart. Conservative and liberal people can’t see eye to eye anymore and respect and trust for the government is at an all time low.

If things carry on the way they are, there’s going to be less people in the health care sector. There’s going to be less support and it’s going to be bad for everybody. Despite my conflicting thoughts, it’s comforting to know that people like working with me and my clients like it when I’m there.

My solution for this would be to stop the funding cuts, increase staff-client ratios and make sure health care workers have acceptable time and space to unwind on their breaks. The government’s also needs to practise what they preach if they don’t want anymore riots.