SOM is concerned about government cuts to pledges to support the health and social care workforce. There are currently 250,000 vacancies across health and social care. Working conditions in both sectors are challenging, with consequences for sickness absence, retention, and high turnover of staff. Work in health and social care can be high risk and lead to occupational health issues for staff and risk to service users if not managed safely. Work-related stress and burnout are key reasons for poor retention across health and social care. The majority of social care workers are unlikely to have access to occupational health. Within the NHS, access to occupational health is variable, with primary care staff facing more barriers to access and funding than secondary care staff.
- A policy paper published by the government earlier this month announced that the £500 million workforce investment promised to social care has now been halved.
- The government has confirmed that it will no longer be investing in wellbeing, mental health support and improved occupational health provision for the workforce.
- Changes to QOF guidance for GP practices requires already-stretched practices to interrogate and improve their own workforce wellbeing strategies. This is unlikely to be effective given the system factors driving up demand in general practice, and exonerates NHS England from supporting the general practice workforce, most of whom face barriers to occupational health support.
- The NHS England Growing Occupational Health programme which is leading on routes to more support for staff across the health service is facing significant cuts.
These actions jeopardise the health and capacity of the health and care workforce and will lead to escalating sickness absence and deteriorating retention at a time where service user needs are already not being met.
We do not yet have a workforce plan fit for the future of health and social care. Meanwhile, the current workforce are not getting the support they need.