No VAT concession

Abstract

It beggars belief that, in the current climate, the Government has seen fit to continue with the abolishment of the VAT staff hire concession on healthcare assistants (HCAs) and other temporary healthcare staff. At best, this decision compounds the burgeoning financial woes reverberating across all industry sectors. At worst, it has ethical implications for the healthcare industry and, quite frankly, poses a direct threat to the lives of patients and the jobs of healthcare workers. HCAs and support staff account for a significant proportion of the temporary workers within the UK's health and social care sector and play a large part in the direct care of the elderly or infirm. Not only is the part HCAs play in the provision of around-the-clock support underestimated, but the fact that they are fundamental to the function of frontline care is often overlooked.