There is a national crisis in social care and here in Medway more than 50% of the workforce has left leaving many vacancies in residential homes and domiciliary care.
The shortage of staff is starting to impact on Medway Maritime Hospital as vulnerable patients ready for discharge cannot go home because there are not enough care packages available to support them. In the community, many families are left trying to care for loved ones who need a care assessment. There is huge pressure on Council staff, and those left in the workforce are tired and often traumatised from the loyalty and commitment they showed by working throughout the pandemic.
We need new solutions, and we need to act quickly. Can the Portfolio Holder confirm that Social Care in Medway will be given the funding needed to resolve this crisis, and will he ask officers to bring forward a plan for Medway Council to set up a social care agency to offer carers good training, security of work and wages that reflect the contribution they make to our community?
Minutes:
“There is a national crisis in social care and here in Medway more than 50% of the workforce has left leaving many vacancies in residential homes and domiciliary care.
The shortage of staff is starting to impact on Medway Maritime Hospital as vulnerable patients ready for discharge cannot go home because there are not enough care packages available to support them. In the community, many families are left trying to care for loved ones who need a care assessment. There is huge pressure on Council staff, and those left in the workforce are tired and often traumatised from the loyalty and commitment they showed by working throughout the pandemic.
We need new solutions, and we need to act quickly. Can the Portfolio Holder confirm that Social Care in Medway will be given the funding needed to resolve this crisis, and will he ask officers to bring forward a plan for Medway Council to set up a social care agency to offer carers good training, security of work and wages that reflect the contribution they make to our community?”
Councillor Brake thanked Councillor Murray for her question. He acknowledged that there was a national pressure on Adult Social Care, sadly Medway faced this too. Providers across Medway were finding it very difficult to attract and recruit staff. The Council was working closely with the Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group, acute hospital trusts and community hospitals to ensure a system wide approach and understanding of the current pressures. Meetings were held with all partners five times a week.
In August 2021 there had been a vacancy rate of 28% amongst homecare providers. Medway was working hard to ensure patients were discharged from hospital in a timely way. Any problems with delayed discharges would be escalated and where significant issues identified, these would be discussed directly with Senior Leaders in Adult Social Care and Adult Partnership Commissioning.
Adult Social Care staff had shown incredible commitment and resilience throughout the pandemic. The increased volume of work meant that assessments were having to be prioritised to ensure that clients and their families were not left at risk. It was acknowledged that families were having to go above and beyond to care for their loved ones and resources were being prioritised to target those most in need. These challenges were being seen nationally not just in Medway.
Councillor Brake said that on 28 September 2021, the Cabinet had considered the Financial Outlook 2022/23 Report, which articulated the significant pressures projected in Adult Social Care. To fund these projections, almost £11million would need to be added to the Adult Social Care budget. However, funding was only projected to increase by around £7.7million, so it would not be possible to afford those budget increases within expected resources. The Council continued to lobby the government for a finance settlement that reflected the growing burdens in social care and the Chancellor’s Budget Announcement on 27 October 2021 was awaited, which it was anticipated would bring some clarity around specific funding for Adult Social Care.
Councillor Brake was working with officers to review the key projections; examining the latest activity data, challenging current costs and reassessing the trends projected to develop solutions to help mitigate the projected financial pressures. He was shortly due to meet with the Adult Social Care management team to further discuss options. In relation to the suggestion that the Council should set up a social care agency, all options available to provide the care needed to support Medway residents were being considered, but a measured and logical approach would be required to ensure that actions taken did not further destabilise the care market.