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by paulankers on 11 April, 2017
The BBC Radio 4 Today programme highlighted this morning the particular problem in recruitment in Stockport Council, managed by the Labour party, based on a report by Independent Age which pointed out 2 out of 3 care homes in the North West of England are inadequate or require improvement. Another report, by the charity Skills for Care brought up that 1 in 20 jobs within care remain vacant.
In addition commenting on reports that more than 900 adult social care workers a day quit their job in England last year, Norman Lamb, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, said:
“The NHS and the care system is lurching from crisis to crisis. There is a massive risk that with the Prime Minister’s obsessive focus on pursuing a hard Brexit it is tying up the government so that it is chronically mismanaging other sectors.
“Theresa May’s continued failure to guarantee the future of EU citizens in the UK is only going to create a bigger workforce crisis in the years to come.”
I have personal experience of how hard it is to get the support you need. This not just a matter of money. The direct payment system was a real step forward in terms of independence and flexible help but it is no use having the money to pay assistants if there are non to be employed. Also Social Services tend to wash their hands if you once they’ve made an allocation ( which is almost always less than your indicative amount). This means no one is keeping an eye on any difficulties you might be having or any increase in needs.
Another problem is that budgets are not updated annually so there is a gradual real terms cut in funding. One of the reasons for the shortage in care workers is the poor pay, long hours and unpleasant working conditions. Most jobs pay better without the unsocial and long hours. My pa really really deserves a pay rise after 3 years but the only way I can give her that is to reduce the number of hours I am paying for. This can’t be right.