NIHR Health and Social Care Workforce Research Unit, King's College London, London, UK.
J Health Serv Res Policy. 2024 Jul;29(3):143-152. doi: 10.1177/13558196241246178. Epub 2024 Apr 20.
Ancillary staff - cleaning, catering, housekeeping and laundry workers - play a crucial role in care homes, by promoting infection control, food preparation and hygiene, and contributing to the care home environment. This study sought to understand the experiences of ancillary staff working in English care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results will inform policy makers, employers, care home managers and others, both in England and overseas, as how to best support the ancillary workforce.
Between March and August 2021, video and telephone interviews were conducted with those working or living in care homes in England. Participants comprised ancillary staff ( = 38), care home managers ( = 8), care home residents' family members and friends ( = 7), human resource managers ( = 5) and care home residents ( = 5).
Ancillary staff often had increased responsibilities and contributed to pandemic efforts by changing working practices, routines and job roles with the aim of supporting residents and other staff. Teamwork, underpinned by strong leadership, helped ancillary staff feel supported.
Ancillary staff should be better recognised as being central to care home care. They are essential workers helping to keep residents safe and well.
辅助员工——清洁、餐饮、家政和洗衣工人——在养老院中发挥着至关重要的作用，他们促进了感染控制、食品准备和卫生，并为养老院环境做出了贡献。本研究旨在了解在 COVID-19 大流行期间在英国养老院工作的辅助员工的经历。研究结果将为政策制定者、雇主、养老院经理和其他在英国和海外的人员提供信息，了解如何最好地支持辅助员工。
在 2021 年 3 月至 8 月期间，对在英格兰养老院工作或居住的人员进行了视频和电话采访。参与者包括辅助员工（=38 人）、养老院经理（=8 人）、养老院居民的家人和朋友（=7 人）、人力资源经理（=5 人）和养老院居民（=5 人）。
辅助员工的责任往往增加了，他们通过改变工作实践、常规和工作角色来为大流行做出贡献，目的是为了支持居民和其他员工。在强有力的领导下，团队合作帮助辅助员工感到得到了支持。
应该更好地认可辅助员工在养老院护理中的核心地位。他们是帮助确保居民安全和健康的基本工作人员。
