Sam Donohue, Assistant Director, National and Regional Outreach at the Nursing and Midwifery Council, explores the challenges and opportunities for nursing in social care.
At a time when adult requests for social care have hit a record high of two million, and the social care workforce vacancy rate is at its second highest-ever level – according to The King’s Fund’s latest social care 360 report – the need for proper recognition and investment in the sector’s nurses and nursing associates has never been more apparent.
Social care nurses and nursing associates are a lifeline to people and communities across the UK. To ensure we can meet future demand for care in the community, educators and health and care providers must continue to inform students about career options within social care nursing. Highlighting this rewarding career pathway long before students receive their registration will encourage those starting their career journey to live it out in social care.
It’s therefore vital students access a breadth of practice learning experiences, so they can develop the knowledge and skills to deliver the best possible care for people, at home, in the community, and in hospital settings or beyond.
At the Nursing and Midwifery Council, (NMC), we recently updated our Standards for Student Supervision and Assessment (SSSA) supporting information, to enable Registered Care Home Managers to act as practice supervisors. From higher education institutions who want to expand practice learning experiences, to integrated care boards who have been involved in expansion of opportunities, to providers themselves, we’re helping to open the door to social care nursing practice.
Next, we need to change the perception that social care is just for those coming to the end of their career. Take Georgia Bowers, who’s been working at the same care home in Nottingham since she was 16, following a work placement, before later going through the apprenticeship route to become a registered nursing associate in 2023.
“As a 21-year-old NA who has started her career in social care, I can confidently say that this perception is outdated and is not based on facts,” Georgia says. “I would encourage people with this outlook to work a week in the sector and see if their opinion remains the same.”
The reality is the sector has a plethora of opportunities to develop one’s career and upskill, which Georgia hopes to take advantage of.
“My ambition is to continue to develop professionally within the social care sector, to further my knowledge, experiences and exposure to the sector and aim to develop professionally as a registered nurse using the top up course.”
Best of luck to Georgia. I echo her enthusiasm. Social care nursing is multifaceted, with professionals working within smaller teams, which lends itself to being a more autonomous role with leadership opportunities. Social care professionals manage more situations, apply critical thinking and sometimes make decisions on their own. This gives them scope to positively influence someone’s quality of life and improve their physical and mental wellbeing. As part of this, they build relationships with people of all ages, and their family members, throughout their care journeys. That’s a fulfilling experience, and an attractive career prospect – we’ve got to do more to make that known.
This promotion of social care nursing needs to be part of a dedicated workforce plan. Integrating this with the one for the NHS would help elevate the sector’s profile, or at least send a message to professionals that they are valued.
I would like to end on a high note by paying tribute to the fantastic work going on elsewhere around this issue. Deborah Sturdy, chief nurse for adult social Care, and Lucy Gillespie, national professional lead for nursing at Skills for Care, have passionately championed the professional voice of social care nursing. Their collaboration, along with the Department of Health and Social Care, to produce guidance to support the development of social care nursing opportunities for students being a recent triumph.
At the NMC, we’re committed to working with our partners to encourage these learning experiences for students in social care settings and share the passion of nurses and nursing associates who work within the sector – we want to see them thrive. Enhancing the status of professionals is crucial to the nation’s health and wellbeing.
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