Shortages of care staff – causing major issues for hospitals
Shortages of care staff, who support older or disabled people in the community, are causing major problems for hospitals, the BBC has learned.
NHS chief executives say rising numbers of patients are stuck in hospitals in England due to a lack of care staff.
The situation is “dire”, according to NHS Providers, which represents health service trusts.
The government says extra funding and a regular recruitment drive will help boost the care workforce.
Care companies are facing acute problems in recruiting and retaining staff, according to a report which suggests there are now more unfilled care jobs than before the pandemic.
Shortages of care staff, who support older or disabled people in the community, are causing major problems for hospitals, the BBC has learned.
NHS chief executives say rising numbers of patients are stuck in hospitals in England due to a lack of care staff.
The situation is “dire”, according to NHS Providers, which represents health service trusts.
The government says extra funding and a regular recruitment drive will help boost the care workforce.
Care companies are facing acute problems in recruiting and retaining staff, according to a report which suggests there are now more unfilled care jobs than before the pandemic.
Jobs unfilled
The annual Skills for Care workforce report is based on data provided by a representative sample of employers of England’s 1.54 million care workers.
The researchers calculate that employers were failing to fill 8% of posts before the pandemic.
Figures obtained since suggest this had fallen to below 6% by June 2020 – but by August this year the trend had reversed with 8.2% of care sector roles unfilled.
This amounts to more than 100,000 posts with no-one to fill them, says Skills for Care.
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