LAUSR

The National Health Service (NHS) and social care services are becoming more of a continuum. The government has pledged to use the new Health and Social Care Levy to improve training and support in the care sector as well as bring an end to the high costs of care faced by those who need it. The care workforce is in desperate need of investment, and unlike the NHS, the sector lacks unifying guidance around workforce health standards, despite facing many of the same occupational hazards and risks: biological from infectious diseases, ergonomic from manual handling and psychological from emotionally demanding work. The devastating way COVID19 hit care homes in the first wave of the pandemic demonstrates the need for more regulation in this area, though mandating the COVID-19 vaccine for care home workers before any other occupational group was a thunderbolt for the sector. The adult social care survey in December 2021 was completed by around 10,000 providers in residential and domiciliary settings. Over 70% reported increasing challenges in recruiting and retaining staff, and maintaining staff morale. Bringing social care workforce occupational health policy in line with the standards set for NHS workers could improve patient care and abate the recruitment crisis. Where are we now with the health and wellbeing of the care workforce and where do we need to get to?