Last Updated on January 22, 2024
Nursers and care workers are skipping meals to afford mandatory training, according to new research from FuturU.
The online education and career development hub's research found that nearly half (42%) of nurses and care workers in the UK are paying for mandatory training out of their own pockets. Additionally, nearly a third (32%) are skipping meals to afford training that allows them to work and keep their skills up-to-date.
FuturU’s research report, Prescription for Change - why nursing and social care training needs an injection of innovation, polled more than 500 nurses and care workers on their current learning and development opportunities and whether their needs are being met.
The data revealed that the average self-funder spends nearly a fifth (18%) of their annual salary on training, equivalent to around £5,660. In many cases, the report found, this is forcing people to dip into savings to afford basic necessities like food or heating. With a higher volume of courses to undertake, nurses are likely to spend a higher average percentage of their wages on training (19%) than care workers (16%).
Among those who pay for their training, 31% are taking out loans to cover the cost of working in the sector, with 17% going into debt.
On top of financial pressures, only half (48%) of nurses and care workers are 'very confident' they have the right skills to do their jobs. FuturU suggests that this indicates severe limitations with current training. This has contributed to 50% of workers experiencing stress and poor mental health. The skills gap is also causing 39% of staff to work overtime, with 30% experiencing burnout, according to the report.
Commenting on the research findings, Michael Manuccia, Chief Executive Officer at FuturU, said, 'Nurses and care workers have dedicated their lives to helping others, but we’re asking them to take on more work, with fewer people, in the most challenging conditions.
'On top of that, we’re expecting them to take on the economic burden of a health and social care education and often finance it with debt. It’s no wonder that so many people are leaving the sector. This is no longer just a workforce challenge, but a societal issue that’s playing out all across the world.'
The findings from FuturU's report suggest that accessible and affordable training options are highly sought after. 86% of nurses and care workers agreed that free training would help improve their skills and allow them to learn new specialities to advance their careers. However, right now, only 4% are benefiting from free training providers.
The research also revealed a strong willingness among nurses and care workers (52%) to use digital devices and applications to complete training courses. Meanwhile a further 34% admitted that while they would be open to using technology for their learning and development, they would require support. This is against a backdrop of frustrations with current in-person training options, such as an inconsistency in the quality of in-person trainers (37%), finding it hard to fit training in around family responsibilities (24%) and losing a day’s pay to be out for training (23%).
Click here to read FutureU's new report, Prescription for Change - why nursing and social care training needs an injection of innovation, in full.
In other news, Care Management Matters (CMM) has announced this year's finalists for the Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards 2024.