1 in 5 healthcarers could quit

More than one in five healthcare workers are more likely to leave their role following the pandemic as a result of Covid-19, according to a new survey of almost 1,000 UK healthcare professionals by the think tank IPPR and pollers YouGov.

Half of healthcare workers said their mental health had deteriorated since the Covid-19 crisis began, with 71% of younger workers aged 18-34 reporting their mental health had got worse. One in three workers said their physical health had worsened since the beginning of the crisis, and half said the government had not done enough to protect their families’ health.

In a separate poll of the general public, 96% agreed the government should introduce more support for healthcare workers’ physical health, and 95% supported more support for mental health, while 88% said they should be paid more.

“Coronavirus is not only exacting a heavy physical toll – it has contributed to a mental health crisis too,” said general GMB union national officer Rachel Harrison, in response to the findings. “Care workers already faced inadequate pay, long hours, and unacceptable risks in the workplace, and for many the threat of coronavirus infection will be a tipping point.”

She added: “This important report makes a number of valuable recommendations, and we urge ministers to act on it. It is time that care workers got the protection and recognition they deserve.”

https://www.ippr.org/files/2020-04/1587632465_care-fit-for-carers-april20.pdf