Responding to the latest report, RCN Transformational Lead for the Independent Health and Social Care Sector Claire Sutton said:
“Social care is gripped by devastating workforce shortages whilst staff working in the sector take home up to a third less pay than their colleagues in the NHS. As demand for social care services continues to increase, the government has serious questions to answer as to why there is no social care workforce strategy to speak of.
“The lack of a workforce plan and leadership from government means services cannot recruit and retain the nursing staff they need. This has led to a hypocritical approach of relying on overseas recruitment, while also placing heavy, unjustified visa restrictions on overseas care workers who are keeping social care afloat.
“The result is that there are not enough nursing staff to give people the care they deserve. We were promised half a decade ago that the UK government would ‘fix the crisis in social care once and for all’. It has not and there is little sign that ministers have woken up to the harsh reality that care workers face every day.
“Building an effective social care sector requires sustained central government investment, a bold workforce plan and pay parity between care workers and colleagues in the NHS. Anything less fails to appreciate the scale of the crisis.”
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