Teresa features on Access Social Care podcast

Community Integrated Care’s Chief People Officer, Teresa Exelby, featured in the latest episode of Access Social Care’s ‘State of the Nation’ podcast to discuss our groundbreaking Unfair to Care report.

The podcast, which launched in October 2022, features care professionals, leaders, experts and change makers to talk through the highs and lows of adult social care and shine a light on a sector that impacts us all.

In the latest episode, hosted by CEO of Access Social Care Kari Gersthiemer, Teresa highlights the alarming findings published in our Unfair to Care report. Also joined by Oonagh Smyth, CEO of Skills for Care, the episode explored the lack of funding within social care and how the government needs to recognise the essential role that support workers play within society.

During the podcast, Teresa said: “When we examine the government’s records of under investment in social care, the most complimentary assessment would be that they don’t really understand the essential role that it plays in society. It is an economic enabler, it promotes independence and therefore economic viability, it preserves the dignity of people and of families, it prolongs life and it’s an essential cog in the functioning of the NHS.”

She continued: “The three things we have urged the government to do is firstly provide an immediate and fair pay rise to all front-line support workers so that they are on the same terms as the NHS. Secondly, having a set of fair and objective pay benchmarks for all social care roles because whilst we absolutely need to focus on the front line, we also need to consider the career progression within social care. Finally, we need a much wider work force strategy that makes social care a viable, respected and sustainable job in the long term and one that people can really consider as an amazing and rewarding career.”

Listen to the full podcast here.