DUE to recent controversy regarding care workers, I would like to make a more positive observation. Unfortunately there are a few that let the side down, as in all occupations across the board.

My wife works shifts and long hours for under £5 an hour. That's less than a school cleaner. It is certainly not an attractive wage and does not reflect on the positive care and high standards needed by a care worker in modern day society.

Her role as a care worker has slowly changed into a nursing role too, as the home in which she works has to take in more and more people who have mental health problems and those who are terminally ill, suffering from various illnesses including MRSA.

Outside resources cannot cope and nursing homes are fast becoming hospital overspill dumping grounds.

My wife is not a nurse trained to McMillan standards, nor is she a psychiatric nurse. There is no barrier nursing or training to cope with this or the ever-increasing threat of catching a disease herself.

She has had to get used to physical and verbal abuse which she is not paid to take from residents - and sometimes their families who feel not enough is done to meet personal care and 24-hour bedside attention.

Care work, with the exception of mobile and agency work, is low paid. My wife enjoys her work but she feels it is time to move on out of care work, as it is becoming too hazardous to her health.

The way our National Health system is going, all the residential nursing homes, which are mainly privately owned and money orientated, will all be on the hospital bed backup system for the NHS.

The Sign of Things to Come

Bromsgrove