MENTAL HEALTH
https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/ NMDS-SC-intelligence/Workforce- intelligence/publications/The- state-of-the-adult-social-care- sector-and-workforce-in-England. aspx
are About Your are Staff
Mike Blake, Wellbeing Lead at Willis Towers Watson, looks at the importance of promoting positive mental wellbeing for care workers.
The care sector is under significant pressure. Staff shortages, an ageing population, low pay and a lack of appropriate training and development can all have an impact on the mental wellbeing of those whose care.
Indeed, mental ill-health has been recognised as a notable issue amongst care workers. A report by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) last year found that workers in the industry faced a risk of suicide that was almost double the national average.
More recently, in HMRC’s investigation as part of the government’s annual National Minimum Wage awareness campaigns, it was revealed that many social care workers have been underpaid by their employer in the past 12 months - despite their obligations under National Minimum Wage legislation.
Staff shortages are posing a real threat to the sector, with a 40% increase in care workers needed to meet projected growth in the number of over 65s by 2035.
The care sector is also suffering from high levels of staff turnover. Nearly half (48%) of UK care workers, and more than a third (36%) of nurses working in social care, leave their role within a year according to the latest ‘Adult Social Care’ report by the Communities and Local Government (CLG) Committee.
Alongside low pay and the prevalence of zero hours contracts, the CLG report highlighted a lack of appropriate training as an industry-wide issue. Nearly a quarter (24%) of employees were administering medication that they were not trained to, and 27% had received no dementia training.
The potential impact of this working environment on the mental wellbeing of sector workers should not be underestimated.
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Indeed, Willis Towers Watson’s Global Benefits and Attitudes Survey (GBAS) found that stress levels can negatively impact staff retention. 46% of workers who were highly-stressed said that they would be prepared to leave their employer – more than double the figure amongst those with low levels of stress (19%).
Of the highly-stressed respondents aged over 50, 54% reported that they would retire early if they could, while 20%
of those workers with low stress were similarly inclined.
“Training managers to spot the early signs of anxiety and depression and
encouraging them to respond to staff in an empathetic, non-judgemental
manner will enhance the trust between employers and their workers.”
Despite increasing mental health awareness, mental wellbeing still poses a challenge for businesses. Nearly a third (29%) of UK workers have suffered anxiety or depression in the past two years alone and one in ten have taken time off during the same period due to mental health issues.
In some cases, care workers may be particularly vulnerable, with some having to contend with incidents of violence and abuse.
The majority of employees that have struggled with mental
www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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