Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 20
20
Accepted
Department's workforce plan lacks long-term strategy and fails to address low pay
Recommendation
Given the significant workforce challenges facing the sector, we asked the Department why it had not produced a workforce strategy, despite repeated calls from the sector and our previous recommendations.46 It told us that it considered the workforce chapter of its 38 Committee of Public Accounts, The adult social care workforce in England, Thirty-Eighth Report of Session 2017–19, HC 690, 9 May 2018; Comptroller and Auditor General, The adult social care workforce in England, Session 2017–19, HC 714, National Audit Office, 8 February 2018 39 Q 34; C&AG’s Report, para 1.8, Figure 2 40 Qq 16, 33, 34; C&AG’s Report, para 1.8 41 Q 17 42 Department Health and Social Care, People at the Heart of Care: Adult Social Care Reform White Paper, December 2021, white paper, CP 560 43 Q 44 44 Q 46 45 Qq 39–43; RSE0021 46 Q 47; Committee of Public Accounts, Adult Social Care Markets, Seventh Report of Session 2021–22, HC 252, 16 June 2021 16 Reforming adult social care in England white paper to be its workforce strategy, and that it would not be possible to create a strategy similar to that produced for the NHS, as the Department is not the employer of the adult social care workforce.47 The chapter did not set out any detail on plans beyond 2025 and in our view is more a series of high level statements and aspirations.48 We heard from some in the sector, such as Bupa Global & UK, that, while they recognised the importance of creating improved career pathways for the adult social care workforce, the white paper fell short of addressing other key factors affecting recruitment and retention.49 The Nuffield Trust, in written evidence, said the white paper’s efforts “did not amount to a long-term strategy” and described the failure to address low pay as “striking”. It said that its research into workforce reform in other countries identified unintended consequences when moving towards greater recognition and professionalisation without accompanied pay increases.50 Although we acknowledg
Government Response Summary
The government states the recommendation is implemented, asserting that its 2021 white paper and 2023 'Next Steps' plan serve as its workforce strategy. They highlight ongoing investments in recruitment, retention, professionalisation, workforce training, pay, and international recruitment initiatives, citing a decrease in the overall vacancy rate.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 4.2 In 2021, the department published its workforce strategy in Chapter 5 of People at the Heart of Care: adult social care reform and in 2023 published the subsequent plan Next Steps to put People at the Heart of Care. 4.3 The overall vacancy rate in ASC was 9.9% in 2022-23, a decrease of 11,000 vacancies (-0.7 percentage points) compared to 2021-22. Skills for Care indicative monthly data (unweighted data) for independent providers shows since then the vacancy rate has fallen to 8.1% in February 2024. The department is investing in recruitment and retention through a number of reforms aimed at professionalisation including significant investment in workforce training and through the Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund, which includes a focus on workforce pay. 4.4 Alongside implementing wider changes to the immigration system, the department has clear ethical standards laid out in the Code of Practice for International Recruitment, which covers both health and care sectors. The department has invested £15 million in 2023-24 to support local initiatives to increase and improve international recruitment in the adult social care sector.