A Scottish carer who was pregnant at the time while working without full PPE, has described struggling with a heavier workload during the pandemic as the 'worst time of her life'.
Tamara Beattie, 31, worked through the full pandemic, with less than satisfactory PPE equipment and under extreme stress, for less money than if she was a retail assistant in a store.
She has since come forward to discuss her experience, whilst also backing the campaign to raise the health workers wage to £15 an hour, the Daily Record also reports.
The GMB rep is also keen for the NHS to provide carers with better training, and include career progression in the National Care Service mandate.
Tamara was 31 weeks pregnant with her first-born Aurora, now nine months old, while working for the care service.
Tamara said: "It was the worst time of my life.
"At first they said pregnant women weren’t at risk and, because there wasn’t enough staff, I was doing a heavier workload than I should have. I should never have been put in that position.
"As well as Covid it was in the middle of flu season and sometimes there were two carers for 30 residents.
"People are putting in sick lines due to the stress of there not being enough staff. Staffing should be the number one priority.”
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Eventually, Tamara's bosses were forced to suspend her on full pay, with the basis on medical grounds, as they could not provide a safe environment for her to work in during the height of the pandemic.
Tamara is now able to return after her maternity leave, but wants the environment to become a happier place to work in now she can work again.
She added: "I am in care because I love my job. The pay certainly didn’t entice me in.
"At £9.50 an hour for all the responsibility, I would be better working in a shop where there is much less stress and more pay.
"It is a broken system."
