Spare sector from overseas worker cuts

WORRIED care providers have called on the Government to spare the social care sector from any moves to cut the number of overseas workers coming to the UK.

The Independent Care Group has warned that limiting the flow of overseas staff to work in the sector would hit the care of older and vulnerable people hard, as it struggles to recover from the pandemic.

There are fears that the Government is to crack down on overseas recruitment amidst fears over rising immigration figures, due to be released shortly.

ICG chair Mike Padgham said: “Cutting the number of overseas staff that we can bring in to work in social care would be the worst thing the Government could do right now,” he added.

“Care providers are struggling to recover from the devastating impact first of the Covid-19 pandemic and now from the cost-of-living crisis.

“We are already losing providers and taking away a vital source of staff might push even more to the edge of survival.”

The social care sector is going through a recruitment crisis, with an estimated 165,000 vacancies within the sector, hampering the sector’s ability to provide proper care to hundreds of thousands of people.

That staffing shortage, added to the impact of the pandemic and ensuing increases in costs, has led to further care and nursing home closures and the closure of homecare providers.

Since last year, care providers have been able to recruit care workers from overseas if they got a Home Office licence to do so.

Mike added: “In the case of my own care business we have recruited more than 20 overseas staff who have made a huge difference to us. They have brought their skills and expertise, new thinking and ideas and new cultures to our centres and we are all the better for their presence.

“We and many other providers, would struggle to operate properly if that source of staff was in any way restricted. We want to maintain the flow of overseas staff, provided the source countries’ care resources are not depleted as a result.”

He said the Government needs to carry out urgent reform to the social care sector, beginning with the extra funding needed to recruit staff.

“We have a staffing shortage and the main reason for that is that social care workers are not rewarded or recognised adequately in this country and prefer to choose other careers instead,” Mike added.

Social care leader Zoë Fry has been awarded the Order of the British Empire medal for services to social care and to nursing in the King’s birthday Honours List. Zoë has received the medal and been recognised for her long service and ongoing dedication to adult social care, which includes collaboratively founding and transforming the community interest company The Outstanding Society, working as a frontline nurse in the sector, and purchasing and operating a care home which was one of the first in Sussex to receive the Care Quality Commission’s Outstanding rating. Zoë’s drive for quality care saw her home twice rated by the CQC as Outstanding, as well as winning many national awards.

Residents are the front-runners

STAFF members from Care South’s Castle Dene in Bournemouth took residents to Salisbury racecourse to watch the horse racing and enjoy a picnic made by the home’s chef before a winning conclusion to the day.

Residents and staff members made fruit scones for the day trip the previous day, with everyone enjoying them at the racecourse with clotted cream and jam whilst sitting in the sunshine.

Activities organiser Lesley Wheal said: “What an incredible day out this was for residents in our care. It was lovely watching everyone in their element getting involved in picking their favourite horses and cheering them on.

“It bought back some wonderful memories for residents who have had close connections with horses in their lifetimes. Everyone said that they had a fabulous day and have already asked to return again next year.”

When each race was due to start, residents watched the horses go to the starting gates and picked their favourite. Once the race started, residents moved to the fence to be as near as possible to the action and cheered on the horses they had chosen.

For the last race of the afternoon, one of the staff member’s husband paid for everyone to place a bet on a horse with their favourite name.

Between residents and staff members, they backed the winning and second placed horse. The winnings were taken back to the home for everyone to enjoy.