Immigration and the care sector – time to recognise an unappreciated workforce
Recent government figures show a major shortfall in staffing in the adult social care sector, with some 165,000 posts remaining vacant as of the end of 2022.
The strategic workforce development and planning body for adult social care in England, Skills for Care, says this is due to recruitment and retention difficulties in the sector rather than a decrease in demand, with employers not being able to recruit and keep all the staff they need.
Several commentators have attributed staff shortages in health and social care to multiple factors. This includes: a lack of long-term workforce planning by the government and the NHS; Brexit leading to a loss of staff coming from the EU; concerns over pay; and job pressures due to increasing staff shortages.
At this exclusive round table event, we gathered together the major players in adult social care across the Midlands to discuss these points – and how the care sector can overcome them.
