Policy Context: DH social care
workforce strategy
Anne Mercer
Social Care Workforce
Development
Demography
• 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
The Sector and its Workforce
• 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
Key Policy
Putting People First
• Transformation of Adult Social Care – Crossgovernment 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
DH Social Care Workforce Policy
History
• 2006 – Options for Excellence - joint DCSFDH ‘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
Developing the Adult Social
Care Workforce Strategy
• 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
Putting People First: working to
make it happen
• Recruitment, Retention, Career Pathways
• Workforce Development
• Leadership, Management &
Commissioning
• Workforce Regulation and Quality
• Workforce Re-modelling
• Joint and Integrated Working
Stakeholder Engagement
• 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
Where next?
• 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