HAVING read the letter on over-stretched, under-valued probation work (Letters, February 20) can I make a plea on behalf of the “low skilled” staff who work in social care who are equally over-stretched and under-valued but are also paid according to the minimum or living wage scales?

How insulting it is of the present Government to refer to our hard working social care staff as “low skilled” – Mr Opperman please take note.

Do they have any idea how much training these people have to go through to become care workers and then constantly update every two or three years?

Do they know the amount of paperwork they have to fill in, the care plans, the recording of every daily event, food and fluid charts? The list is endless and all the while they are answering bells, attending to people’s needs and caring for them as their family would wish.

They have to adhere to policies and procedures, consider safety and safeguarding all the time and help people live and die with dignity.

So stop referring to them as “low-skilled”. They are highly skilled and, although they may not have university educations or degrees, they are of the highest value to society.

Where would we be without them?

JEN DOVER

Gunnerton