Responding to the Skills for Care ‘state of the adult social care sector and workforce report’, Claire Sutton, RCN Transformational Lead, Independent Health and Social Care Sector said:
“A fall in social care vacancies masks the harsh reality of a sector which has nowhere near enough staff to meet people’s needs. Registered nurse numbers continue to decline as domestic recruitment collapses, forcing employers to recruit internationally to fill gaps. But by continuing to make it hard for migrant care workers to come here, ministers risk making a bad situation worse. In social care there are still over 130k empty posts and significant numbers of vulnerable people at risk.
“The government's employment bill couldn't come soon enough, but it must have teeth and deliver the fair pay agreement the sector so desperately needs. When wages are so low, it is little wonder recruitment and retention are such a challenge. Improving wages and workplace rights in social care are crucial to bolstering the sector’s workforce and easing pressure on the NHS."
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