Policy Context: DH social care workforce strategy

Anne Mercer

Social Care Workforce Development

• By 2036 the number of people over 85 will rise from 1.055 to 2.959 million – an increase of 180%.

• By 2025 there will be 42 percent more people in England aged over 65

• The number of people with a long term condition will rise by 3 million to 18 million

• The numbers of people with dementia - currently 560,000 is expected to double in next 30 years

• The numbers of people over 50 with learning disabilities is projected to rise by 53% by 2021

Demography

• 1.6 million in the social care workforce (87.7% in adults services):• An estimated 30,000 employers of which only 150 are local

authorities• locally-based mixed employment economy, highest number

employed in the private sector• a growing number of user-employers• social workers, so far the only registered group, are 5-6% of the

workforce, • less than 50% of the rest have any vocational qualifications• A predominantly non-unionised sector, except for Local Authorities• Low paid workforce – many on, or just above, the minimum wage

and paid hourly• Big issues around shortages and turnover – 25% for domiciliary

care workers

The Sector and its Workforce

• Transformation of Adult Social Care – Cross-government sign-up including NHS, DCSF, DCLG– Greater choice, control and personalisation of

services– Individuals shaping the workforce in their role as

commissioners– Improving quality of services– Strong leadership to drive through changes– Outcomes to be achieved by Local Authorities and the

independent sector by 2011

Key Policy Putting People First

• 2006 – Options for Excellence - joint DCSF-DH ‘review’ of social care workforce

• Comprehensive engagement with stakeholders and agreement on 5 strategic themes

• 106 + ‘workforce recommendations for consideration by government’

• 2006 – Raising the Status of Social Care – Review by Dame Denise Platt

• Accepted by Government and development of a five point plan committed to raising sector’s status

DH Social Care Workforce Policy

History

• 2007 /08 – Mapping Putting People First implications for the workforce

• Options for Excellence and Raising the Status report used as source material for consideration

• Set up Adult Social Care Workforce Strategy Board to agree priorities in view of Putting People First

• Putting people first: working to make it happen published 23rd June - interim statement defining six strategic priorities

Developing the Adult Social Care Workforce Strategy

• Recruitment, Retention, Career Pathways

• Workforce Development

• Leadership, Management & Commissioning

• Workforce Regulation and Quality

• Workforce Re-modelling

• Joint and Integrated Working

Putting People First: working to make it happen

• Summer 2008 – targeted stakeholder engagement

• 14 engagement events with frontline, managerial and strategic workforce in independent and statutory sectors and with people using services

• 12-week engagement period for stakeholders to input on interim statement and strategy plans

• Considerable amount of detailed and comprehensive feedback– a new evidence base to develop policy

Stakeholder Engagement

• Analysing responses from stakeholders

• Review of delivery organisations

• Joint priority review of SW education with DCSF

• National Skills Academy agreed Oct 08

• Strategic policy direction

• Publication of strategy in spring

Where next?