Shortage of workers in Hampshire social care sector
The county council is urging people to consider a new career in the industry
The social care sector in Hampshire is short of almost 100 workers, according to advertised vacancies.
Currently, there are 73 care-related job vacancies and a further 22 temporary vacancies in the sector, via the Hampshire County Council and Connect2Hampshire websites.
Now, with the government’s furlough scheme coming to an end on September 30, the county council has launched a campaign urging people to consider a new career in social care.
Councillor Liz Fairhurst, executive lead member for adult services and public health, said: ‘Supporting people to live as full and independent a life as possible is incredibly rewarding and brings a tremendous sense of achievement.
‘The care industry is growing, and many more caring, skilled individuals will be needed in the coming years.
‘Our Call to Care Hampshire campaign highlights the tremendous range of roles and career opportunities available for people considering a career in care.’
The job vacacies only reflect the situation in council-provided care, so the situation in the private sector is unknown.
But concerns have already been raised this month about social care staffing levels in the Solent region.
Portsmouth City Council confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that 12 people had already left non-council care homes in the city, amid disputes over compulsory Covid-19 vaccinations.
Meanwhile, Hampshire Unison warned that up to 70,000 people across the country could leave their jobs over the same issue.
Cllr Fairhurst added: ‘You may be considering a complete career change and think caring could be for you.
‘You may want permanent or casual work; work for an established organisation or be self-employed – whatever your motivation, check out the new website.
‘Caring roles in Hampshire are open to anyone over the age of 18. Some require qualifications, for others no previous experience is needed.’
In addition to the front line care and nursing roles, there are also vacancies for non-clinical roles such as catering and maintenance, as well as for personal assistants in care – touted as a much more flexible line of employment.
The Call to Care Hampshire campaign is being promoted across the county over the next few weeks.
For more information, people can go to calltocareinhampshire.co.uk.