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RCOT comments on Skills for Care ’ s annual workforce report
The annual State of the Adult Social Care Sector and Workforce in England report was published by Skills for Care in October 2024 . The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the adult social care workforce in England and the characteristics of the 1.59 million people working in it .
Topics covered within the report include recent trends in workforce supply and demand , employment overview , recruitment and retention , demographics , pay , qualification rates and future workforce projections .
In the report , Professor Oonagh Smyth , Chief Executive of Skills for Care , says : ‘ On the face of it , there are plenty of reasons to be cheerful in this report . The adult social care workforce is the biggest it has been since we started counting , vacancy and turnover rates are down – and the gender balance in the workforce is improving .
‘ All of that is definitely good news , but when we look beyond those headlines , a more nuanced – and perhaps more familiar – picture starts to emerge .’
She notes that , ‘ despite the welcome growth in the workforce ’, the vacancy rate for adult social care is still almost three times that of the wider economy . She also points to turnover rates being ‘ relatively high ’ and the fact that ‘ men still only account for a relatively small proportion of the overall workforce ’.
On the face of it , there are plenty of reasons to be cheerful in this report . The adult social care workforce is the biggest it has been since we started counting , vacancy and turnover rates are down – and the gender balance in the workforce is improving .”
‘ In last year ’ s report we talked about the adult social care workforce being a “ leaky bucket ”, and this report shows that the bucket clearly still has holes ,’ she reflected . ‘ But there is one unequivocal reason to be cheerful and optimistic that we did not have this time last year .
‘ In July 2024 , we reached a real turning point for adult social care as we launched a new Workforce Strategy , which Skills for Care developed in collaboration with the whole sector . The strategy aims to improve the quality of social care roles , ensuring that the sector can attract and keep enough people with the right skills and values to provide the best possible care and support for the people who draw on it .’
She concluded : ‘ So , we know what we need to do to tackle the challenges facing the adult social care sector and workforce ; now we all just need to work together , with government , to make it happen .
‘ Not only is social care vital for our society and a fulfilling career for so many people , but it will also be central to the success of the new government ’ s missions to build an NHS fit for the future , kickstart the economy and break down barriers to opportunity . Its importance cannot and must not be overlooked .’
Commenting on the annual report , RCOT Head of Practice and Workforce Suhailah Mohamed , said : ‘ Recruitment can be tricky in all areas of social care , and we must do more to make a career in social care more attractive . We especially need to grow our own workforce and better support those who have chosen to work in our social care services from abroad .
‘ One way in which this could be done is to highlight the wide variety of careers within the social care sector , which includes occupational therapy .
‘ The UK government needs to recognise the key role occupational therapists play in social care . There currently aren ’ t enough occupational therapists in the community to provide the support that people need to do essential daily occupations , such as getting in and out of bed , dressing , bathing and preparing meals .
‘ With the right support for people at home , there would be less pressure on an already-stretched healthcare service and workforce , saving money and reducing waiting lists .
‘ Investment in the social care workforce is critical . More investment and a more targeted focus on recruitment and retention would mean we could help the people accessing social care services manage their health and daily living , as well as supporting them to live in homes that are safe and enable them to live quality lives .’ The Skills for Care annual report can be read at https :// bit . ly / 4hq6TXf .
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November 2024 OTnews 9