Measures to boost the social care workforce will be announced today – as it emerged more than 40,000 staff left the sector in six months.
Health minister Gillian Keegan will unveil a ten-year plan with £500million earmarked for ‘workforce development’.
The white paper, called ‘People at the heart of care’, will also promise £300million for supported housing units for the elderly, £150million for digital development and £30million to promote joint working between the NHS and social care.
Health minister Gillian Keegan will unveil a ten-year plan with £500million earmarked for ‘workforce development’ (stock image)
Richard Humphries, a social worker and expert on long-term care, stated however that money is not available to solve the problems.
The Nuffield Trust had warned of a “deepening crisis” in the social care workforce ahead of an extremely difficult winter. According to the think tank, the Department of Health data showed that the number of workers fell by 1,584,535 from April 27th to 1,542 590 during the week ended October 26th.
However, it noted that the number of data submissions by providers is not always accurate.
Natasha Curry of Nuffield Trust stated that it is likely that we will see more care workers leave this sector in the worst time possible.
According to The Group, the most likely decline over the period is between 50,000 and 70,000 employees. This would mean that the workforce will shrink by 3 to 4 percent.
The report states that homecare professionals could have been severely affected with almost 11,000 employees losing their jobs over this period.
This could increase to as much as 30.000 if you include providers that have not submitted data.
Ms Curry added: ‘While there has been much attention over winter pressures in hospitals, and even to some degree care homes, a shortage of staff providing care within people’s own homes has been an invisible problem.
‘The home care system is at the point of breaking this winter. If urgent action is not taken, there will be severe consequences for both the people and those who use health care and other services.
‘Unfortunately, more people will be unable to access the care they need, more pressure will land on unpaid carers, and problems getting people into appropriate care settings when they come out of hospital will be exacerbated.’
The white paper, called ‘People at the heart of care’, will also promise £300million for supported housing units for the elderly, £150million for digital development and £30million to promote joint working between the NHS and social care. Gillian Keegan