Struggling nursing and social care staff have turned to charity as they are unable to afford basic necessities. A new report by Cavell, a nursing and midwifery support charity, found that 42% of nurses, midwives and nursing associates they financially supported were unable to afford necessities such as food, with some even facing homelessness. This was in addition to the added strain of mental and physical illness and caring for their families.
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‘There are numerous reasons why nurses and midwives need Cavell’s help and we’re constantly listening and adapting our support services,’ said Lewis Allett, Chief Executive at Cavell. ‘As well as financial support, we offer resources and advice via the Cavell Support Hub and we’re really pleased that last year, on average, 560 people per month accessed this support.’
Nurses and midwives are also more likely to experience abuse. The charity awarded £790k in grants to over 1600 people who were struggling under the current cost of living for themselves and their families. However, alongside food insecurity, the report also found that nurses and social care staff were also three times more likely to suffer from domestic abuse, with some reporting difficulties to focus on patient care.
‘Over the last 18 months, Cavell has been successful in securing funding from a number of supporters specifically to provide financial support to staff who are survivors of domestic abuse,’ said Allett. ‘Typically this would be to secure a rental deposit on a new home for a nurse or midwife fleeing an abusive situation, often with children, and enabling them to purchase essential items for it as they often leave with no possessions.’