The Launch of a Transformative Workforce Strategy for Adult Social Care in England
18 July 2024
We are delighted to announce the launch of a new Workforce Strategy for adult social care in England, led by Skills for Care.
This comprehensive Strategy aims to significantly improve the quality of roles within adult social care, ensuring that the sector can attract and retain enough people with the right skills and values to provide the highest standard of care and support for those who depend on it.
In the development of the strategy, we are exceptionally proud of the contributions made by Sir David Pearson MBE, Chair of TEC Quality, who Co-Chaired the Skills for Care Workforce Strategy Steering Group. His leadership and expertise have been invaluable. Anna Severwright, a dedicated member of the TEC Quality Board, also played a crucial role as a valued member of this group. Additionally, Alyson Scurfield, Chief Executive of TSA, was a pivotal member of the Science, Technology, AI and Pharmaceuticals Expert Working Group, where she provided expert insights that have significantly shaped the strategy.
Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE, a key contributor as part of the Steering Group and a member of TSA's Strategic Futures & Advisory Committee, also contributed to the strategy. His input was been instrumental in ensuring the strategy addresses the diverse needs of the social care sector.
The Workforce Strategy is designed to elevate roles within adult social care, ensuring the sector can attract and retain individuals with the right skills and values essential for delivering outstanding care. This ambitious vision aims for a future where our workforce is both valued and empowered. To meet the growing demand, the strategy highlights the need for 540,000 additional social care posts by 2040, with a significant increase of 430,000 extra posts required by 2035. This clearly underscores the urgent need for comprehensive workforce planning and development.
Sir David Pearson emphasised the significance of this initiative:
"The Workforce Strategy is the most important initiative in social care at the current time. It covers the essential things we need to do, so that we have a confident, capable and motivated workforce for the future. The people of this country need all the organisations to work together to deliver it, including the government, local government, regulators and employers."
"It's been a remarkable process of development and I’ve been honoured to co-chair, seeing first-hand the commitment and passion from people and organisations with a stake in the future of the sector coming together."
"The launch is just the first step and I feel excited about the implementation of the Strategy and the benefits for social care services in this country."
The sector contributes nearly £60 billion annually to the economy, and this strategy is designed to complement the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, focusing on attraction and retention, training, and transformation. This ensures a cohesive approach to workforce planning across both social care and healthcare sectors.
This moment represents a crucial turning point for social care in England. It’s an extraordinary opportunity to make a lasting impact on our sector and the communities we serve. We are filled with enthusiasm and hope for what we can achieve together. Let’s embrace this strategy and work collectively to transform the future of social care, ensuring a brighter, more sustainable future for all. For more details, please visit: https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Workforce-Strategy/home.aspx
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