The Department of Health and Social Care has announced £500 million in funding to support staff recruitment, retention, progression, and wellbeing in the adult social care sector.
The new funding, which forms a part of the £5.4 billion Health and Social Care Levy, aims to make progress to ‘level up’ opportunities for social care workers and develop their skills and training.
The support package, said to be ‘vital’ to the in the recovery of the social care system from the pandemic, will include:
- A knowledge and skills framework, career pathways and linked investment for learning and development to support progression for care workers and registered managers
- Continuous professional development budgets for registered nurses, nursing associates, occupational therapists and other allied health professionals
- Investment in social worker training
- Funding for Care Certificates, alongside work to create a delivery standard recognised across the sector to improve transferability across settings, so care workers do not need to repeat the Care Certificate when moving roles
- A new digital hub to access support, information and advice, and a portable record of learning and development
- New policies to identify and support best recruitment practices locally
- Initiatives to provide wellbeing and mental health support and to improve access to occupational health to support staff resilience and recovery following their role in the pandemic
- Exploration of new national and local policies, as well as higher standards of employment and care provided
Gillian Keegan, Minister of State for Care and Mental Health, said of the new funding: “I am incredibly proud of all the social care staff who have worked so hard, particularly during the pandemic.
“As we recover from Covid, we must look to the future and to reform – this £500 million package of support will boost workforce recruitment, allow staff to progress in their careers in the sector and very importantly, ensure staff wellbeing is better supported.
“The type of genuinely transformational change cannot be accomplished overnight. We know staff will need continued support, but we hope this package will level up opportunities for current and future social care staff.”
To read more about the new funding, please click here.
