Covid in Scotland: Teachers asked to work in Glasgow care homes as staff hit by Omicron

Can't see that going down well. Teachers are also dropping like flies and are exhausted after a difficult term of in person teaching, online teaching and a mix of both. Exam preparation and marking already and as I know, work from exam candidates comes in over the Christmas holiday. Not to mention the chance of passing the virus on to vulnerable people.

My husband I were having a chat about this. He was a senior officer in that very council and would have been on the receiving end of the rotten eggs very much involved in this!

He is relieved that both he and I are retired!

In the middle of a teacher recruitment and retention crisis?

There'll be no staff available to teach in schools at this rate. Perhaps that is the intention? Get rid of state education, in the same way they want to get rid of the NHS?

GagaJo

In the middle of a teacher recruitment and retention crisis?

There'll be no staff available to teach in schools at this rate. Perhaps that is the intention? Get rid of state education, in the same way they want to get rid of the NHS?

Being asked to work in care homes in school holidays - that's almost funny

Not a very bright idea by any stretch of the imagination is it?

Who on earth thought that one up- I thought asking retired teachers ( of which I'm one and the answer is no!) to step up in the New Year was daft, but this exceeds that idea on the stupidity level by far... imho [shocked]

Good grief. Don’t a lot of teachers do so because it means they can continue with their profession without having to worry about child care during school holidays?

It is a sign of how desperate the situation must be in care home though, isn’t it?

"All employees within Glasgow city council with care and support experience, including nursery staff and teachers, have been invited to undertake paid shifts."
Be interesting to see if they get any uptake..? Does this include SMP's?

MSP's are helping out at vaccination hubs ...at least SNP ones are I cant speak for the unionist parties who would like to see the SNP fail over this

It’s a call for all hands on deck to which people, with the necessary experience are invited to do their bit to assist during a pandemic. It isn’t mandatory, it’s an invitation for certain individuals to help if they can.
I really don’t have a problem with this.

It dawned on me, that as they are already employees of Glasgow City Council, teachers and nursery staff will have up to date PVGs, from Disclosure Scotland, which are required for undertaking regulated work with children and vulnerable adults.

I hope the "invited" have the guts to say "No, thank you"

Why should teachers give up their so-called holiday? (So-called because they are usually busy either marking work, or planning nex term.)

Why should they be capable or good at looking after the elderly and infirm? They trained to teach healthy CHILDREN.

I hope their union jumps on Glasgow County Council and anyone else stupid enough to pull a stunt like this.

It shows how desperate the situation has become here.

It is not mandatory, it is an invitation.
There may be those who respond for financial reasons and would welcome the extra cash.
Unless it becomes mandatory the unions have no need to be involved.

My DH with his local authority, HR hat on, and playing Devils advocate, can understand exactly where the employers are coming from.

Kalu

It’s a call for all hands on deck to which people, with the necessary experience are invited to do their bit to assist during a pandemic. It isn’t mandatory, it’s an invitation for certain individuals to help if they can.
I really don’t have a problem with this.

I think a general, urgent, call for help is fine. But why are teachers always singled out?

Just this week there were calls for retired teachers to go back into schools because too many teachers were out with covid/leaving the profession.

Casdon

It is a sign of how desperate the situation must be in care home though, isn’t it?

Yes, it is Casdon and no one is being forced to do anything if they don’t, for whatever reason, want to.
If there are qualified people willing to help out this year, why not ask them? Makes perfect sense to me.

GaJo teachers are not being singled out.
The headline in the Times, is to grab attention.
As far as I know, all employees have been asked.

GagaJo, sorry for the typo!

GagaJo

Kalu

It’s a call for all hands on deck to which people, with the necessary experience are invited to do their bit to assist during a pandemic. It isn’t mandatory, it’s an invitation for certain individuals to help if they can.
I really don’t have a problem with this.

I think a general, urgent, call for help is fine. But why are teachers always singled out?

Just this week there were calls for retired teachers to go back into schools because too many teachers were out with covid/leaving the profession.

You have summed up the situation whereby, anyone, not just teachers but those who are qualified are being asked to help if they can as, with the arrival of Omicron, numbers are rising rapidly at this particular point.
As you have rightly pointed out, a general, urgent call for help to tackle a situation which affects all of us would be appreciated. I am aware this will upset plans for those who want to spend this period with family or enjoy a deserved break but we are not living in normal times and every little helps as we strive to reduce numbers rising further.

It doesn't seem a wonderful idea to transfer staff who have been working in an environment where Covid is rife to one where it's critical to be Covid-free.

Stringent measures of testing, PPE in place for those who can help out in this environment?

It makes sense, in that there is a crossover in training areas, I would think.
Mainly, safeguarding and data protection.
My dbs and training mean I could work with children, theoretically (not that I ever would!!!)

Kalu

Stringent measures of testing, PPE in place for those who can help out in this environment?

LFTs aren't intended to give people a "green light" and even those wearing PPE have been known to transmit infection. Teachers have been working in an environment where almost no mitigations have been in place and many are infected now, even some who don't know they are. They would need to be asked to self-isolate for a few days to minimise risk, so they would have to commit far more than the time spent in the care home. It seems like a daft idea.

MissAdventure

It makes sense, in that there is a crossover in training areas, I would think.
Mainly, safeguarding and data protection.
My dbs and training mean I could work with children, theoretically (not that I ever would!!!)

I'm not sure what crossover you mean. I wouldn't have a clue where to start in a care home - and I actually worked in one many years ago during the holidays from university. A DBS covers a specific role. I'm fairly sure mine wouldn't cover working in a care home.

There’s more of a crossover than dragging Joe Bloggs in off the street growstuff, that’s the material point. People who are already Local Authority employees are part of the system, known and checked. The care home sector are obviously in extremis or they wouldn’t be suggesting this.