KANLUNGAN

Alliance of Filipino Organisations

seNiOr cAre wOrKers

Briefing 1: The need for skilled migrant care workers

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The UK will need skilled migrant care workers for the foreseeable future Skilled migrant care workers are hardworking families Settlement is one of the main reasons skilled care workers come to Britain Its unfair to change immigration rules for people already settled whove planned their lives Salary levels should not determine who settles

BrIefIng 1: The need for SkIlled mIgranT care workerS

care workers and the care industry

research in the Uk and other countries show that the Uk continues to need skilled migrant care workers. commenting on research by the oecd1, and a dwP press release that predicts that in 2066, there will be at least half a million people aged 100 or over2, Professor danny dorling3 points out

can the industry recruit elsewhere?

from the oecd again:

The harsh truth is that by 2048, advances in medicine, a better-ordered society, and even huge amounts of care being provided by the young elderly, will not be enough to help us care for our rising population of the very old.
In 2009, the comPaS research institute at the University of oxford researched migrant workers in the care industry4. Using national statistical data as well as surveys and interviews, they found that

The oecd concludes we cannot expect to fill the gaps from the existing pool of unemployed workers in Britain: There is generally little evidence on long-term cost and effects of policies aimed at increasing entry and retention from new target groups. But, where it exists, evidence suggests that such recruitment efforts have had mixed outcomes or, where successful, only concerned relatively few people. competition for good quality migrant care workers between countries is likely to increase: demand keeps growing. Between 2008 and 2009, over half of the 6% increase in residentialcare employment in the european Union was accounted for by foreign-born workers. In the United States, the social-assistance sectors have experienced the fourth largest growth in foreignborn workers over the period 2007-09.

why not just recruit temporary workers?

The oecd believes that governments also need to keep the workers they have. high turnover affects the health and quality of life of care users.

The vacancy rate for care jobs was nearly double that for industrial, commercial and public sector employment. migrant workers accounted for 19% of care workers and 35% of nurses employed in the care of older people in the Uk and, significantly, 28% of care workers and 45% of nurses recruited in 2007. 642,000 individuals across the Uk in 2006/7 work caring for older people. 22% of the population is projected to be aged 65 years and over by 2030, up from 16% in 2007. 4% of people aged 65 and over are receiving institutional care (residential and nursing care homes); 11% of those over 80, and 9% of those over 65 receive home care. 92% of residential care places for older people are provided by the independent sector. In 2006 over 60% of home based care and nearly 40% of residential care services for older people were thought to be wholly or partly funded by the public purse.

no strategy to develop new recruitment pools or make better use of existing pools will be successful if job retention and job quality is poor. mass exit of lTc workers reduces returns on investment in recruitment and training, and depresses quality of care. Turnover and shortages of nurses in the long term care (lTc) sector are high.and may have negative outcomes for heath and quality of life of lTc users.

So if we want good quality care for our elders and disabled, we need skilled migrant care workers who are encouraged to stay in the Uk.

But what is happening?

In 2007, many migrant senior care workers were told that their visas were to end, even though they had arrived under rules that allowed them to work for Uk care homes for five years and then get settled status in the Uk. others were told that they were no longer allowed to settle in the Uk after five years work. and now, the government is consulting on proposals that all or most skilled workers not be allowed to settle in the Uk. If government proposals are passed, and the other threats to skilled migrant care workers not resolved, there is a real risk that we will not have people to look after the growing numbers of elderly and disabled people in the Uk. you cannot see British workers in care homes. Until now, the care home is filled with migrant workers actually. (10)

will this change in the future?

The report by the organisation for economic cooperation and development5 explains the challenges for the future.

The number of people aged over 80 will more than double over the next 40 years. In 1950, less than 1% of the global population was aged over 80 years, butIn oecd countries, the share of those aged 80 years and over is expected to increase from 4% in 2010 to nearly 10% in 2050. Turnover and shortages of nurses in the long term care (lTc) sector are high.and may have negative outcomes for heath and quality of life of lTc users. Demand for long term care (LTc) workers is growing across the oecd, and many countries are already struggling to meet the challenge. Projected declines in the working age population due to population ageing will add to the challenge. countries will need to improve recruitment efforts, including through the migration of lTc workers.

carers are not being treated fairly!

1

Then suddenly they changed the rules, and leave us in a very depressing situation. If I knew all these, I could have not come here and continued working in the Philippines where I can work properly or maybe go somewhere that I do not need to be bothered about the immigration. (10)

help wanted? Providing and Paying for long-Term care oecd 2011 http://www.dwp.gov.uk/newsroom/press-releases/2010/dec-2010/dwp186-10301210.shtml In the guardian, 23rd may 2011 http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/ may/23/future-policy-elderly-care-on-own?InTcmP=Srch migrant care workers in ageing Societies: report on research findings in the Uk, by alessio cangiano, Isabel Shutes, Sarah Spencer and george leeson, published by compas on 25 June 2009, is available as a free download from: http://www.compas.ox.ac.uk/publications/ help wanted? Providing and Paying for long-Term care oecd 2011

. migrants have no protection, no benefits despite. contributing to the Uk society where is the equality in this situation? Skilled migrants should at least have a protection at some aspects and to some extent while they are working in the Uk. (11) and so for those being cared for! carers and the person/s they care for develop a special relationship over a certain period that is favourable to the health of the patient. So I dont get the point why the government has changed the rules where in fact they knew if all migrants are sent home, the patients or residents will suffer or die. The government is not thinking about the effects of changing rules to people and to the people being cared for. It is stupidity as a matter of fact. (10)

even politicians need to value the contribution that migrants give towards their country. actually migrants boost the Uk economically, financially and more so, (they) contribute with their health and social care aspect of their society. 10 So, this relationship cannot just be cut by a change in policy! for politicians, I hope that they will bring out a strong policy that will be beneficial for us because we came here to work and we give our best to treat your elders the best treatment like we do to your parents. we hope that you treat us fairly the same as we treat your people. (1)

what can we do?

Tell the Government how important migrant care workers are to our elderly and disabled people Tell the Government that we will continue to need to recruit skilled careworkers from outside the eU Tell them that they will find it very difficult to recruit skilled careworkers from abroad unless they offer them settled status Promote the importance of migrant care workers to the UK care sector.

BrIefIng 1: The need for SkIlled mIgranT care workerS

Acknowledgements
This report and the briefings accompanying it were written by Sue lukes.

Kanlungan and our research

kanlungan is a registered charity consisting of five filipino community organisations working closely together for the welfare and interests of the filipino community in Britain. we advise and support filipinos and have been working with hundreds of care workers affected by many of the problems in the industry and immigration system. we work closely with the trade union movement, lawyers and some employers. one of the groups worst affected by the recent changes in immigration policy has been Senior care workers. consequently, kanlungan has been working closely with Senior care workers, supporting and advising them on their rights with respect to these changes. we now have some grant funding to support this work, and have used it to seek legal advice and to commission research. The research was based on detailed interviews with Senior care workers affected by the important changes in immigration practices since 2007, and we are using the outcome of the research for these briefings: this is the first briefing. extracts from the interviews are identified by numbers. kanlUngan c/o Bahay kubo housing association caxton house, 129 St. Johns way london n19 3rQ T: 020 7263 8992 e: kanlungan96_uk@yahoo.co.uk w: www.kanlungan.org.uk charity registration no. 1077224

special Thanks
kanlungan management committee, Staff and Volunteers: Benny clutario, cielo Tilan, carolyn Panday, dr. fernando Santiago Jr. (+), elaine Tilan, evelyn Bolano, emma Bibal, estela nalden, hapsa Pelicano, Jamima fagta, Jilyn ganaden, Jose caparino Jr., lyra del rosario, mark dearn, Pina manuel, rafael Joseph maramag, ricardo gacayan, Shanthi Sivakumaran, Simon luke aquino and Susan cueva. all Senior care workers and supporters who participated in this report: asuncion labaniego, gloria Umali, gundelina ramirez, Janis ramos, Jenny labaria, Joseph Tejada, Joseph carmelo Baxa, mr. Patiak, nerissa Siongco, Sady evangelista, Susana Tambadoc and Vicenta ornopia. organisations: migrants rights network Immigration law Practitioners association Joint council for the welfare of Immigrants UnISon Praxis Bahay kubo housing association migrante Uk lingap filipino association Philippine Theatre Uk

This report was supported and funded by

Trust for london

Barrow cadbury fund

Joseph rowntree charitable Trust

design and print by creative dynamic Print ltd.