Adult Social Care Recruitment Crisis: Urgent Action Required

Care England has urged the government to act urgently after its latest report showed that vacancies remain high in the adult social sector.

The representative body of independent adult social care providers warned that the pressures on the sector were unsustainable, and that workers are “overstretched”.

According to the Skills for Care report on the State of Adult Social Care Sector in England and Workforce 2024, the number filled positions has increased by 4.2% in 2023/24 to 1.7 millions. While there are less vacancies, they still represent 8.3% of the total workforce. This is almost three times higher than the overall rate for the economy.

Care England says that although the number of vacancies has dropped from 153.00 to 131,000 it is still high, and this puts an extra burden on front-line staff who have to deal with a lot.

The organisation highlights that the recruitment issues have led to an increased reliance on agency workers, which in turn increases costs and destabilises care provision.

It insists that these “structural problems” are made worse by “a lack long-term strategy of the government, leaving providers in an unstable position”.

Professor Martin Green, CEO of Care England said : This is not just a recruiting challenge. It’s a failure to build a work force that can meet current and future social care demands. We will continue to have a workforce that is stretched to its limits. This will impact on the quality of care given to some of our most vulnerable citizens.

The report shows that the increase in the number of filled positions has been heavily dependent on international recruitment. However, this is being hindered now by the changes to immigration policies, which prohibit overseas workers from bringing their dependents into the UK.

The number of visa applications for Health and Care Workers fell by 81% between April and June 2024 compared to 2023. Also, the number of international recruits dropped to just 8,800 – almost 70% less than the average in the same quarter last year.

Care England explains that British workers are also leaving the sector due to low wages, poor conditions of work, and perceived lack of advancement. The report warns that a combination of decreased international recruitment and a mass exodus from domestic workers leaves the sector “in a precarious condition”.

Martin Green said: “We’re facing a perfect hurricane.” The domestic recruitment market has collapsed and the government’s immigration policy has choked the international recruitment pipeline that has been crucial in proping up the sector. This practice cannot continue.

We will not be able to meet the growing demand for care without a strategy that improves pay and conditions in order to attract domestic workers. The government needs to act now before this situation becomes unsustainable.

Care England, in response to the findings of the report, wants the government re-evaluate immigration policy to support international recruiting and provide funding for social care workers to receive the same pay, benefits, and working conditions as NHS staff.

The plan also suggests that the government consolidate intended reforms in adult social care into a fully-funded, long-term workforce program.

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