Dear Editor,

The closure of ‘Hillside’ and the extra strain this will put on the provision of care by care workers in Herefordshire, has been under estimated by Health and Social Care managers.

Nationally, most of the 815,000 carers in the system are paid less than £7.50 per hour and a third are on zero-hour contracts, across the sector, 6.6% of posts remain unfilled.

In Herefordshire the problem is no better, but with the distances that have to be travelled by care workers, the half hourly care packages paid for by the council, the problem of providing adequate care at home for patients recently discharged, will I believe, lead to extra distress by patients and relatives alike.

Care companies who are paid by the council to provide half hourly care packages, do not have enough staff to cover for absence, or unexpected delays. Most care workers are told by their care company to leave a client on the floor if they have found them there, having made them comfortable and dialled 999, if the half hour visit is up!

With ambulance delays, the client may have been on the floor, alone, cold, and distressed for many hours, resulting in a return to hospital or possibly worse.

I understand the reasons for ‘Hillsides’ closure, but I am certain that the strain on the county’s worst paid employees, will result in more leaving the caring profession to the determent of the most vulnerable in the county.

Cllr. Chris Chappell

Hinton & Hunderton Ward,

Herefordshire Council