Discovery proud to achieve silver award status in UNISON’s Coronavirus safety charter

UNISON Somerset has awarded Discovery a silver award for meeting key standards in UNISON’s Care Worker Safety Charter, making us the regional leader in the fight against the spread of Coronavirus in our locations throughout Somerset.

Discovery Colleagues have gone that extra mile to care for the people we support. Examples include one colleague, whose young daughter has low immunity, living in a motor home near work to shield his daughter and continue to support people, and another, who moved into her workplace so that she could ensure the people we support and colleagues were kept safe.

Discovery has met most of the six standards in UNISON’s health and safety charter. Specifically, Discovery has worked since the beginning of the pandemic to provide adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) to our 1100 colleagues and ensure the necessary infection control procedures are in place across our 52 locations where we support people in their own homes and in residential settings. We have also taken steps to ensure pay and leave policies mean colleagues can access testing and take the necessary steps to self-isolate should they have symptoms of Coronavirus or shield, as advised by the NHS.

Discovery HR Director, Chris Best said: “We are delighted to have been awarded Unison’s ‘Care Worker Safety Charter’, in recognition for achieving their Silver Standard during this pandemic.  This is  an accolade for all the hard work and planning that, with the support of our Dimensions Group colleagues, has gone into keeping colleagues and the people we support safe with the provision of adequate PPE, protecting pay and jobs, good access to testing  and safe workplaces. We are extremely proud of all our colleagues who have worked tirelessly during this unprecedented situation”. 

Philippa Boulton, Discovery Care Worker and UNISON Steward, said:“With some reports of workers moving in to their workplaces during the pandemic, it’s clear that care home staff across the county are doing everything they can to keep the risk of infection low in order to protect the people they support, colleagues and their own families. Care workers need employers to be similarly proactive and committed and show their staff that they have the support and provisions they need to stay safe at what is a scary and dangerous time. I’m pleased Discovery is leading the way in this respect and recognises the importance or working closely with staff and UNISON to make sure we get this right”.