Vacancies in adult social care in Suffolk increased by half in a year
The number of vacancies rose by 800 between April 2021 and April 2022
Last updated 25th Oct 2022
The number of vacancies in adult social care in Suffolk has increased by half in just a year.
The number of vacancies rose by 800 between April 2021 and April 2022.
There are now around 2,400 unfilled posts for carers in the county according to data from agency Skills for Care - with a third of people choosing to leave their jobs in the sector between last year and this year.
According to a report by the county council, the main factors for people deciding to quit included uncompetitive staff pay, cost of living pressures, increased fuel prices, lack of career progression for front-line staff and the ongoing impact of the pandemic.
The report also considers what is being done by the council to combat these issues. These include financial investment, delivering care in new ways, workforce development and raising the profile of care.
In terms of financial incentives, the two mentioned in the report which are still offered show a focus on regions with added pressures. These are payments for care providers in rural areas and a pilot in which the council commissions 14-hour blocks with a provider to source care in hard-to-reach areas.
The council expects the distribution of £2.2m from the government for adult care to be confirmed this month.
The council says they expect the distribution of £2.2m from the government for adult care to be confirmed this month.
The fund will run from April 2022 to 2023 and is aimed at addressing shortfalls in the price paid for care. It is restricted to care homes for the over-65s and home care for adults.