My Father is 95 years old and i have been his carer for some time now, as I am not a PAID carer am told do not qualify for the Vaccine and should stay away from my father until I am vaccinated and leave it all to social services, who have failed already to look after his best interests, it took me 5 days to get him a vaccine.
Why are we silent carers not being considered ??
Because too many of us are silent too often.
There have been several petitions mounted over the last few years regarding unpaid carers, most, if not all of them have failed to gather the required number of signatures, (100,000), from an estimated 7,000,000 unpaid carers for a parliamentary debate.
Surely unpaid family carers are more “front line” than paid carers? Family carers may be working 168 hours a week, roughly three times more than the working hours directive permitted?
To be fair, I have found myself fighting a lost cause with being an unpaid version of a carer over the years. As Ayjay said many millions are allowing us to be silent by not fighting for their rights and not even signing petitions. I understand this also as many are bogged down and bewildered by the bullying that goes on from the ‘frontline’. Namely social care and NHS.
I don’t take to this well and so I fight my own corner as I have with this vaccine discrimination against unpaid carers. I was provoked by receiving a letter written by the director of social care ordering me to arrange paid carers vaccines and do all the paperwork and at the same time telling me ‘I’m not entitled’ yet for my vaccine.
I read Ayjays comment last night and today I took action in my own right and booked my vaccine as a frontline worker. I had the oxford jab and I am delighted to say no side-effects.
1 nil.
Like Bowlingbun said we as unpaid carers are more frontline than anyone else and that is 100% right.
I will not sit here and be taken for a fool by bureaucrats.