Recently published reports paint another bleak picture of the workforce crisis in social care. However, this isn’t simply an HR issue based around recruitment and retention; it is a catastrophic wake-up call to Government that social care desperately needs the overhaul it has been promised before things get worse. Not only for the 1.5 million care workers, 20,000 providers or those who draw on care, but for everyone.
Skills for Care is reporting yet another rise in the vacancy rates for social care, making them the highest on record. New analysis by the Health Foundation shows that even before the pandemic, over a quarter of residential care workers lived in poverty.
It should come as no surprise to anyone that social care is struggling to recruit and retain staff, when 50% of workers will earn within 30p of the national minimum wage. It’s a role that requires individuals to take responsibility for the life and wellbeing of another human being and where you can expect just 6p more in your pay packet, after working in the role for five years.
We hear constantly about sector reform, training packages and technological innovation but we hardly ever hear concrete proposals which will improve pay. We know that most care workers find meaning in their work regardless of the pay; however, when working in care makes you more likely to live in poverty, we have a serious problem. No one can be expected to do such meaningful work at their own expense.
The Health Foundation report makes it clear – low pay is a political choice. We cannot escape the fact that social care has been chronically underfunded for decades and squeezes on local authority budgets are making the situation impossible.
So, why don’t care providers just pay their staff more? For care providers, the crisis is one of ‘a rock and a hard place’ with soaring costs meaning that the cost of caring is increasing. Providers are trying to keep the already huge bills for service users and their families as low as they can, therefore it makes staff pay rises a difficult thing to do.
Recruitment drives are one thing but retaining the already trained, qualified, dedicated and hardworking staff they already have is another difficult task. So, what can they do?
Our suggestion would be to think SANTA: Support, Appreciate, Needs, Time and Advocate:
- Support your teams in any way you can, realising that each member of your team is an individual with their own lives outside of your facility.
- Appreciate all that your team does and tell them so.
- Needs – find out what needs could be met which would support your team members to feel appreciated.
- Time – time can be a healer, but it is also a killer if not monitored. Make sure your staff have down time on breaks and between shifts; it’s amazing how a break and a cup of tea can make all the difference.
- And finally, Advocate – take every opportunity to tell your team, and everyone else, how amazing your staff are. Write to your MP, to the Government, to newspapers, let everyone know how valuable they are and fight for their rights.
Social care desperately needs reform and funding. Let’s shout so loud that we cannot continue to be ignored. Let us no longer be the underappreciated little sister of the NHS. Social care is everyone’s responsibility; but if we can’t advocate in our own sector, what hope have we got of convincing the Government of our worth?
Back in February 2021, the Government urged the public to consider working in social care with Boris Johnson stating, ‘This exceptional career choice is tough but rewarding, and I would urge anyone who is thinking of a career in care to come forward and join this heroic workforce’ and yet a year later and the workforce vacancies are even higher.
In June of this year, a report was published called A Landmark Review into Health and Social Care Leadership Led by General Sir Gordon Messenger and Dame Linda Pollard – Biggest shake-up in health and social care leadership in a generation to improve patient care. It mentions support to ‘help combat disparities across the country’ and yet, the report itself focuses on the NHS only. How can we expect social care to survive if those who make the decisions don’t even consider it important?
Care workers often say to us, ‘I care for others, but no one cares about me’ and this is what needs to change before any recruitment or retention will succeed.
Karolina Gerlich is the Chief Executive of The Care Workers’ Charity. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @CareWorkersFund
How are you addressing the workforce pressures in relation to supporting staff and meeting the needs of the people you care for? Share your thoughts below.