Staff recruitment


How Covid-19 compounded staff issues for care homes


Stephensons Solicitors head of employment and partner Phil Richardson looks at the thorny issues Covid-19 has presented to care homes in relation to attracting, selecting, training and retaining suitable staff


Covid-19 has placed further demands on the care sector which was already struggling to recruit and retain suitable members of staff. As a result of the pandemic, care home providers are required to recruit people swiftly and safely and train them as quickly as possible so they are ready to work on the front line. In addition, there are additional


procedures and practices surrounding the cleanliness of care homes to help combat the spread of the virus, meaning additional staff are required to ensure enhanced standards are adhered to. Furthermore, at a time when care and


support workers are needed the most, many of them are absent from work as they are required to self-isolate, either because they are showing Covid symptoms or have been in contact with someone who has the virus. That leaves care homes in a situation whereby they require additional staff but are simultaneously required to manage higher levels of absence.


An issue which has compounded


these high levels of absence is, until very recently, there was a lack of Covid-19 testing for residents and staff within care homes. That has meant individuals were absent from work when they did not actually have Covid-19. Where the risks to elderly residents are so severe, it is unsurprising members of staff did not feel comfortable attending work should they be experiencing even the mildest of symptoms. The coronavirus has also presented


issues as the care and treatment of Covid-19 patients within care homes goes beyond the normal duties and capabilities of a care worker. That has highlighted a lack of nurse-qualified staff working in the sector, who would have been able to provide better care to residents with Covid-19 at a time when hospital admission was potentially dangerous for those within vulnerable categories. Throw a lack of PPE into the mix and it is clear the coronavirus has contributed


greatly to the already existent concerns about care homes’ financial resilience and their capacity to deliver consistently good care. In June, the government announced a


new ‘taskforce’, set up by ministers, to help the social care sector in England navigate the ongoing coronavirus crisis and work to prevent further Covid-19 outbreaks in care homes over the next year. The announcement was paired with a pledge for more virus testing capacity throughout the adult social care sector. It remains to be seen how much this


will help the already ailing care homes in their fight to overcome Covid-19 whilst attempting to stay financially viable.


Pay problems Staff costs make up around 60 per cent of the total costs within a care home. However, the average rate of pay for care work is just above the legal minimum and four in five employers in the social care sector admit low pay is the biggest obstacle to fulfilling their care worker vacancies. As a result, care homes face huge bills for calling in agency staff to cover vacancies, which only adds to the cost pressures involved in the recruitment of staff within the sector. The way in which local authorities


provide funding has only added to the financial pressures experienced within the sector. Although local authorities correctly base their fee calculations on the assumption care providers will pay at around the national living wage, often they do not fully include the costs of additional expenses like the apprenticeship levy and pension auto- enrolment. That means care homes are required


to meet these expenses themselves, which makes the possibility of pay increases for staff virtually impossible. In addition, the care sector has been one of the hardest hit by the introduction


August 2020 • www.thecarehomeenvironment.com 21


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