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GOVERNMENT PREPAREDNESS
Given the continued prevalence of COVID cases, alongside flu and RSV this winter, Melvin believes: “We will only ever know of the Government’s preparedness when any plan is called into action. What we are seeking to do is to assist in ensuring that they have industry expertise based on our knowledge of a £59-billion industry in the UK that works across all sectors.”
For her part, Dr Vohra is concerned: “With the current state of the health and public health services and lack of coherent messaging, even now I don’t think the government is prepared at all for the threat from the respiratory viruses and is not able to cope as is being currently demonstrated.”
She adds that: “There needs to be a stronger vaccination programmes with better information about ongoing practises that would reduce transmission alongside investment in public health services which would all support the NHS.”
Ashton of the CSSA also feels that: “Beyond the reluctance to formally recognise front-line workers and enable access to the Learning & Development we deserve, there is a far greater risk which continues to be ignored by the Government. Resource!
“The level of vacancies across our industry is unsustainable and commercial cleaning companies across the UK are being pushed to breaking point. There is a fundamental risk to infection control for all built environments which will only worsen unless the visa scheme is opened up to create improved access to labour.
“Whether it’s a hospital, a school, public space or commercial office space – society is being unnecessarily placed at risk until such point that the Government recognise the issue and support accordingly.”
TRAINING STANDARDS
The report recommends a standard qualification for cleaning within the Apprenticeship Levy to improve the quantity, quality and career prospects of people entering the cleaning industry.
Melvin confirms that the industry trailblazer group which the BCC established has been working very hard on proposals for an Apprenticeship Levy funded industry-wide apprenticeship and training qualification for over a year and are hoping the relevant authorities will soon give their approval following a further final consultation process.
He explains: “If the proposals are approved, they will bring huge benefits to the industry, enabling us to reinvest millions of pounds which are currently being lost in Apprenticeship Levy funding into training staff.
“It will also not only help recruit the new employees that the industry seriously needs, but allow the development of staff within the industry as a career and give us a standard qualification which not only falls into the Government policy of apprenticeships but also finally rids the industry of this incorrect narrative about staff being ‘low skilled’.”
GAINING RECOGNITION
Although a key recommendation of the report is that the Government helps promote the key role of the cleaning and hygiene industry, Melvin says that the BCC has found it very difficult to engage the Government on industry issues, a source of real frustration.
“We have been in touch with BEIS, [Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy] individual MPs, the Cabinet Secretary Simon Case and a huge number of individual departments in order to seek meetings and discussion but to little avail. Whilst the APPG report gives us highly credible and very significant backing, which should help us when we try to talk to the Government in future, we do need them to clearly understand the scale of the issue.
“Our industry performs a service that has a direct effect on public health. How any responsible member of any political party cannot or will not see that is beyond us and so with this report we are ensuring that no politician can ever say that they were not advised.”
However, on a more hopeful note he promises: “We will also be resuming our lobbying campaign and building on the foundation provided by the report in 2023, as part of which a wide range of industry colleagues will be meeting with the BCC to agree next steps. This requirement and approach simply cannot stop. It is far too important.”
FURTHER INFORMATION
A free copy of the APPG report can be obtained by emailing: compsec@britishcleaningcouncil.org
