A ‘CRISIS’ in adult social care saw more than 1,000 posts unfilled in Oxfordshire on the eve of the pandemic, with care workers having a turnover rate of almost 50 per cent.

The increased pressure during coronavirus has led to fears if more is not done to improve pay the problem is set to only get worse.

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Ian Hudspeth, leader of Oxfordshire County Council, speaking in his role as chairman of the Local Government Association’s community wellbeing board, said councils are still facing a recruitment and retention ‘crisis’ in social care.

Oxford Mail:

Ian Hudspeth

He added: “Urgent action is needed for the care workforce including on pay, professionalisation, skills and training.”

Figures from charity Skills for Care show there were approximately 15,500 adult social care jobs in Oxfordshire in the 12 months to March 2020. But with an estimated vacancy rate of nine per cent, it meant an average 1,340 posts were unfilled at any one time.

Figures include local authority employees and those in the independent sector, but exclude NHS staff and those working for recipients of direct payments from the council, a system which allows people who are entitled to care to employ and manage staff themselves.

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Across England, there were around 112,000 vacancies at any one time, though the vacancy rate of seven per cent was down slightly from eight per cent in 2018-19.

Kathy Roberts, chairman of the Care Provider Alliance, which brings together trade associations representing adult social care providers in England, said: “The Skills for Care report reminds us that, despite improved awareness, much needs to be done to ensure we have sufficient numbers of well-supported care workers right now, and in the future. We want to see structured career pathways that ensure working in care is an attractive profession.”

She added: “Care work should not be portrayed as an alternative to a job in a supermarket. Yet, retail staff on average earn 24p more an hour than a care worker, raising concerns about the wider issues on pay.”

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In Oxfordshire the staff turnover rate was 39 per cent last year – the estimated proportion of people who quit their job completely or moved to a different role in the sector – with the figure particularly high among care workers at 49 per cent.

The county’s figure was higher than the average across England, where the turnover rate hit 32 per cent and meant more than 400,000 people were estimated to have left their jobs.

Nina Hemmings, researcher at the Nuffield Trust health think tank, said: “Early data from the period of the coronavirus outbreak suggests pressure on staff has only intensified: sickness rates have nearly tripled since the pandemic began.

"Given the absolutely crucial role we have seen these workers play during Covid-19, they must be better supported in their health and wellbeing.”

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