Nearly 6 out of 10 business leaders say that staff have had to take time off in the last year because of problems accessing public services, according to new TUC polling published today .
The poll of over 500 business leaders shows that they say staff have been absent due to a number of public service pressures including waiting for hospital treatment,caring for a relative who lacked adequate provision of adult social care, waiting for mental health care, being unable to access suitable childcare and looking after a child with special educational needs
The TUC says that these responses reflect the toxic legacy inherited from the Conservatives by the new government.
This legacy includes record NHS waiting times, shortfalls in mental health provision, childcare deserts where supply falls short of demand, staff recruitment and retention problems across many public services, and too few school places for children with special educational needs.
The union body is calling on the government to fix the foundations of the economy by repairing our public services so that working days and productivity are no longer lost to these problems.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said:
“A country with great public services is a great place to do business. You’ve got a healthy and skilled workforce, travel is fast and reliable, and your workers can access the care services they and their families need.
“But the Conservatives left our public services in complete disrepair. Our polling shows that more than half of businesses report losing staff time because they have problems accessing vital public services. This is having a massive impact on working people, companies, and the economy.
“It’s time to fix the foundations of our economy – and that means fixing our public services. The Chancellor knows already how desperate people are for an end to NHS waiting lists, and access to affordable childcare and decent schools. She clearly has the green light from businesses to prioritise public services too.”
