Issue 81 03.11.21
The weekly online newsletter for the care sector
Staffing crisis edging care close to abyss DAMNING new figures on social care staffing highlight once again how close to the edge the sector is and the need for urgent government action, providers have said. The Independent Care Group says those providing care for people in their own home and in care and nursing homes are struggling to find staff to do so. Commenting on Skills for Care’s report on the state of social care employment, ICG chair Mike Padgham said: “This is no longer anecdotal evidence and is not the social care sector crying wolf, these are the hard facts of a sector in crisis. “The Government continues to bury its head in the sand and hope that the care staffing crisis will miraculously disappear, but it won’t, and with the compulsory vaccine coming in next month, it is going to get a whole lot worse.” Skills for Care’s annual State of the Adult Social Care Sector and Workforce in England report says employers were failing to fill eight per cent of posts before the pandemic. This fell to below six per cent by June last year – but by August this year it was back up to 8.2 per cent of care sector roles unfilled – more than 100,000 posts with no-one to fill them. The ICG says compulsory vaccines could add a further
40,000 vacancies if the Government presses ahead with it in November. Skills for Care also warns that a further 490,000 extra staff will be needed to cope with care demand by 2035. “All of these statistics point to a sector in crisis and facing a meltdown situation where people can no longer expect to get the care they need,” Mike added. “We know that before the pandemic some 1.5m people were living with unmet care needs – that figure is set to rocket. “And that is our loved ones and our friends, in their own homes and in care and nursing homes, not getting the care they need – it is a national scandal.” The ICG wants to see the Government postpone the compulsory vaccine regulation in November and urgently get more money into social care to tackle the staffing crisis. “The simple fact is that providers cannot pay care workers what they deserve and they can earn more in less stressful work elsewhere,” Mike added. “As a society, we have to decide how much we value the care our loved ones are being given – at the moment it appears that we don’t value it nearly enough to properly fund a social care sector that fulfils their needs.”
Excitement building for CUK Awards
Percy Mann and his best friend and care nurse Laura Hagan have continued their annual tradition of dressing up as famous twosomes for Halloween. The pair became very close during Percy’s time at Whitecraigs Care Home in Thornliebank and put up some fierce competition as they took on the home’s costume competition together for the fourth year running. This year they showed a preference to treats over tricks as they donned a matching costume from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Percy ,104, was the enigmatic Willy Wonka himself, complete with his walking stick as a candy cane, while Laura dressed as an iconic Oompa Loompa. n For more Halloween fun turn to page 3.
T H E 2 0 2 1 C A R I N G U K AWA R D S
EXCITEMENT is building for the industry’s biggest end-of-year party, with plans in place to make this year’s Caring UK Awards the best one yet. Nominations for the 2021 awards are now closed and the full shortlist is on the Caring UK website. Organised by Script Media in partnership with Caring UK and headline sponsor Virgin Money, this annual celebration of success will culminate in a glittering ceremony – taking place at the Athena in Leicester on Thursday December 2 – where host Dean Andrews from Emmerdale 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 was done particularly during the pandemic 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 director Judith Halkerston added: “We have been amazed by the incredible work that has taken and is continuing to take place in homes nationwide, and the last 18 months has 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 up and down the country. We can’t wait to celebrate with everyone at the awards on December 2.”
CARING UK AWA R D S 2 0 2 1
Thursday 2nd December 2021, THE ATHENA, LEICESTER
C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S T O A L L T H E F I N A L I S T S Tickets are now available from script-events.co.uk/cuk-awards-tickets/ I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H
Call 01226 734605
or email tb@scriptmedia.co.uk for details For general enquiries call: 01226 734630
THANK YOU TO ALL THE SPONSORS
Care Home Division