The social care minister has reaffirmed the government is set on pushing ahead with a new adult social care workforce action plan after fresh figures showed recruitment growth across the sector has stalled despite vacancies falling to a record low.
Speaking at the launch of Skills for Care's latest State of the Adult Social Care Sector report this morning, mental health and social care minister Alison McGovern was expected to say that workforce reform would be prioritised as ministers pursue plans for a National Care Service.
The comments come after Skills for Care revealed that vacancy rates in adult social care have fallen but workforce growth has slowed, raising concerns over workforce sustainability in the face of rising demand.
Ms McGovern was due to say the report has arrived at a "critical moment" for the sector as the government is giving social care the “priority it has lacked for too long”.
“We want a workforce that’s empowered and capable of delivering a National Care Service,” she will say, before adding the Department for Health and Social Care will “work intensively” with the sector and care users to develop the plan.
“We can’t afford to wait for Baroness Casey to finish her important work before we get stuck in,” she was due to say.
“From speaking to carers, I know how many of them feel invisible, and they need change now.”
Ms McGovern’s comments were also expected to confirm Prime Minister Andy Burnham's previous indication that an adult social care workforce action plan would be developed alongside the ‘fair pay agreement’ process, and will focus on career development, training, specialist skills and employment conditions, intended to support the sector's ability to attract and retain staff.
