Community care managers say staff shortages harms service for thousands

Community care service managers supporting over 15,000 people in England say acute staff shortages are forcing them to turn down clients.

 

The National Care Forum of predominantly not-for-profit organisations, say care providers are having to make difficult decisions about who they are able to help.

 

It was recently announced by health bosses that the care shortage meant more patients judged fit to be discharged were stuck in hospital.

 

Care providers are facing critical problems in retaining and recruiting frontline staff for a number of reasons, including higher pay rates being available elsewhere as the economy picks up, and burnout from the pandemic.

 

Managers told researchers that many existing staff were struggling with an increased workload and were looking to leave the profession.

 

Researchers for National Care Forum, together with the Outstanding Managers Network, surveyed 340 care managers and said their responses highlighted the “stark reality” in the care sector.

 

The findings suggest that those surveyed had nearly 20 per cent of positions vacant, with backroom staff having to fill in as frontline carers.  Over two thirds said they were having to stop or limit services.

 

Vic Rayner, chief executive of NCF, said the findings made “uncomfortable reading and offer evidence of the stark reality.”

 

He added “Provideers are having to make very difficult decisions about who they can support, sometimes resulting in people with high or complex needs not getting access to the care and support they desperately need.”

 

Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist team of clinical negligence lawyers have years of experience in medical negligence claims, providing support and guidance after life-changing events.  Not only do we represent clients in Yorkshire, but because of our reputation we also represent clients nationally.

 

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Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

 

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