Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Nursing students cover both health and social care in their training and decide which sector...
Conclusion
Nursing students cover both health and social care in their training and decide which sector to work in after they graduate. This means that social care providers recruit from the same overall pool of nurses as the NHS. The Department noted that approximately 80% of nursing graduates join the NHS and the other 20% start work in social care, primary care or the independent sector, or do not practise as nurses. It acknowledged that there are currently around 4,000 vacancies for social care nurses.19 As Skills for Care has reported, the vacancy rate for nurses in social care has increased from 4.1% in 2012–13 to 9.9% in 2018–19.20 The Royal College of Nursing also noted that the number of registered nursing posts in social care has fallen by 1,000 in the last year and by 10,400 (20%) since 2012–13.21
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Spring 2021 4.2 Whilst the government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation, it does not agree with the conclusion that the nursing needs of social care are an unaddressed afterthought. DHSC, NHSE&I, HEE and nursing partners work closely in planning the nursing workforce, taking account of the number of nursing staff who go into social care, the private sector and other employment, as well as those employed in the NHS. 4.3 Unlike the NHS, the adult social care workforce is not nationally administered – rather it is a diverse sector, with 1.5 million staff employed in around 24,000 employers. The department recognises the need to support the whole workforce and fund programmes and initiatives to support nurse recruitment, retention, development and wellbeing. 4.4 In 2020-21, the department provided £26.3 million funding to Skills for Care to deliver strategic social care workforce priorities, including £300,000 to support the Registered Nursing and Registered Nursing Associate workforce, reflecting variation across sectors and disciplines. Activities include tailored advice and guidance on recruitment and retention, alongside specific COVID-19 activity, including supporting nurse deployment through NSHE&I’s Bring Back Staff Programme. 4.5 Skills for Care have supported development of the Nursing Associate Apprenticeship and Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship and advocate for their take up by social care employers. The department is committed to increasing Nursing Associates in social care, which will contribute to capacity for core nursing work and free up registered nurses to focus on more complex clinical care. 4.6 The department’s 2020 to 2021 Social Care Winter Plan includes the appointment of a Chief Nurse for Social Care, to provide professional leadership to the workforce and help achieve parity with the NHS nursing workforce.