18 EDITORIAL
Why are workforce issues in nursing not being addressed ?
As nurses develop fresh ideas in response to the Covid backlog and soaring vacancies , is the Government doing enough to help , particularly in social care ?
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The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed longstanding issues in health and social care , as nurses are only too aware . Workforce problems are widespread , and vacancies continue to stretch nursing teams towards breaking point . And , whatever your view on mandatory Covid vaccinations , they look likely to make this situation even worse .
Delayed presentation by patients during lockdowns and the understandable period of reduced capacity across general practice and secondary care mean nurses fi nd themselves working harder than ever to make inroads into a worrying backlog in care , while a sea of vacant posts around them compromises their ability to do that . In fact , the backlog might well get worse before it gets better .
Vacancy rates for social care nurses are particularly concerning and , again , have been dramatically highlighted by the pandemic . The sector ’ s recruitment and retention problems were discussed by an expert panel at a recent Nursing in Practice roundtable ( see page 14 ). The panel told us the sector ‘ needs to sizzle ’ – with a revamp of the image of social care nursing within the profession . The social care nursing workforce delivers highly complex specialist care , but where is the recognition for this ? Sadly , as our panel refl ected , student nurses often don ’ t see the value of a care home placement . There is a danger the sector works in isolation .
The care of the elderly and most vulnerable , in their homes or in nursing homes , is important to everyone in general practice and in social care . Backlogs won ’ t be resolved unless discharge works effi ciently .
Despite these problems , nurses continue to excel , as shown in our cover feature on the innovative approaches being taken by general practice nurses to respond to the current challenges ( see page 10 ).
It is disappointing the Government has failed to address workforce issues within the Health and Care Bill , currently under consideration by Parliament . Instead , the bill focuses principally on ideas for restructuring ( in England ) to promote integrated working within health and social care .
Ministers hope the bill will be the answer to achieving true integrated care . But , though signifi cant , the structural changes it contains are unlikely to solve workforce issues any time soon . Nurses working in health and social care need a solution urgently .
The Health and Care Bill is unlikely to solve workforce issues any time soon
Carolyn Scott is editor of Nursing in Practice nursinginpractice . com Winter 2021