William Roberts, Chief Executive of the Royal Society for Public Health, asks whether today’s workforce reforms are bold enough — or whether fresh ideas such as universal care training should be part of the conversation.
Social care is one of our largest, and most crucial, public services. Care staff provide vital day-to-day support to some of our most vulnerable populations. They are key to preventing ill health, reducing hospital admissions and improving wellbeing.
If we want to shift from hospital to prevention, we must support the social care workforce. But as we found in our recent report, Caring About Health, they aren’t being recognised as they should.
The workforce is facing vast challenges in recruitment and retention, with staff struggling to get the training, pay and support they need to do their jobs effectively.
Social care needs to be more than just a safety net. With recognition and support for the workforce, we can unlock their potential and build a resilient social care system that improves the lives of the people using – and working in – it.
To do this, the workforce first needs to be given access to training with an emphasis on health promotion. A national training offer would upskill social care staff, improve career progression and improve retention. In practice, this would include topics like basic life support, infection prevention and mental health.
Any training must also have prevention at its core. Carers hold the potential to play a key role in spotting health concerns in the people they are caring for. In our research, carers told us that they often spot changes in appetite, mood or mobility but struggle to get in touch with the right healthcare professionals to report these changes.
With the right training, staff could carry out crucial preventative activities normally done by a healthcare professional, like blood pressure checks, changing bandages, or helping people manage their diabetes. Not only would this help to stop people from getting sick and reduce hospital admissions, but it would also upskill the workforce with crucial public health skills and allow them to progress their careers.
At RSPH, we are working tirelessly to advocate for care workers. We are continuing to provide care staff with consistent public health training and support them with clear, accessible routes into social care careers, including through our upcoming social care pathway.
As well as a lack of training, low pay and poor working conditions are exacerbating recruitment and retention issues, leaving carers feeling “overworked, undervalued, and rushed”.
Care visits often feel hurried, with most only lasting 15 minutes. This is simply not enough time to address a user’s individual needs. These short visits must be phased out in favour of personalised care plans that support care users and give staff the time they need to do their jobs properly.
Adult social care stands at a critical juncture. Without action, we risk facing increased hospital admissions, further pressure on the NHS and even more workers leaving the sector.
The government have set out a commitment to prevention in the 10 Year Health Plan. If they want to achieve this, care must be taken seriously. The social care workforce is key to prevention and supporting it is a win-win: it keeps our most vulnerable populations well and out of hospitals, encourages carers to stay in the profession, and boosts productivity and the economy.
We know that change can happen. There is great work going on across the system already to ensure that staff are attracted and retained. With proper training, conditions and progression opportunities we can make social care a sector that works for everyone.
