Issue 168 29.11.23
The weekly online newsletter for the care sector
Providers’ plea over overseas staff changes CARE providers are urging the Government not to change to the rules on employing overseas workers because they are providing a lifeline. There are reports that the Government is considering banning or limiting overseas workers from bringing dependents with them to the UK. There are also reports that the Government is looking at increasing the salary threshold for workers’ visas, which might prevent some social care posts meeting the criteria. The Independent Care Group is urging the Government not to alter the system at “a very delicate time”. Chair Mike Padgham said: “This would be the worst possible time to make it harder for social care providers to recruit from overseas. “Restricting dependents would undoubtedly put many people off from coming to our country and given the current financial hardships in social care, raising the salary threshold would mean many posts in the sector would not be eligible. “Care providers fought long and hard to get access to visas so that overseas workers could come and help us ease the chronic shortage of care workers that has been devastating the delivery of care. “If there has been abuse of the system then that cannot be condoned and
should be addressed. But the vast majority of social care providers have adhered to the rules and found overseas recruitment a lifeline. “I know from my own experience and that of fellow providers that we could not fill our shifts without them at the moment. It would be an absolute disaster if overseas recruitment were to be hampered or reduced and the care of the most vulnerable would suffer.” “NHS care delivery is already being hampered by a lack of available social care. If this went ahead then the NHS would be impacted upon too.” The ICG says long standing underfunding of the sector, compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic, has left the sector in its worst ever staffing crisis. Providers fought to get the Government to allow care workers to get visas to come to the country to try to alleviate a staffing crisis which has led to 152,000 vacant posts. “Social care provision is on its knees,” Mike added. “The last thing we need is someone cutting the lifeline of overseas workers that we have been thrown. Long term, we have to find a way to get more people – from this country and from overseas – into the social care sector and that should be the Government’s real priority not hampering us from functioning today.”
Tunbridge Wells Care Centre resident Raymond King enjoyed a very special 104th birthday recently…. with the help of a fabulous Bentley Flying Spur. Raymond, who moved into the home in December 2021, is coincidentally the same age as the luxury car company. When asked how he would like to celebrate his birthday, car enthusiast Raymond lost no time in saying that he would like to sit in a Bentley. The home immediately set about making his dream come true with the help of sales manager Sarah Ledden and sales associate Harry Sermbezi from Bentley Tunbridge Wells. Raymond was able to not only sit in the car and talk about its finer points with driver Peter Constable, but he was also taken for a quick spin before joining other residents and staff for a birthday tea at the home.
Last chance to grab your tickets
THE deadline for tickets for the industry’s biggest end-of-year party is 10am on Friday. Organised by Script Media in partnership with Caring UK and headline sponsor Virgin Money, the annual Caring UK Awards culminate in a glittering ceremony – taking place at the Athena in Leicester on Thursday December 7 – where television personality Des Coleman will reveal the lucky winners who will take home an award. We received a record number of entries from all over the UK with so many stories of the wonderful work that is constantly being done in our care homes and by our homecare agencies, and we want to thank everyone who sent in nominations.
Shortlisted entries from far and wide have made the finals, now progressing to the next stage of the judging process. Event organiser Dominic Musgrave added: “We have been amazed by the incredible work that has taken and is continuing to take place in homes nationwide, and the entries we have read have only confirmed to us just how wonderful care staff truly are. “Once again we were overwhelmed with the standard of entries we received from homes and agencies nationwide. “We can’t wait to celebrate with everyone at the awards ceremony in Leicester on December 7.” Tickets are available at https://scriptevents.co.uk/cuk-awards-tickets/
Book a demonstration today by calling 01925 386800 or visit www.carebeans.co.uk