Page 27 - Unfair-To-Care-22-23-Flipbook

THE RECRUITMENT REVOLVING DOOR
“RECRUITMENT IS SO DIFFICULT – WE ARE COMPETING WITH SECTORS THAT PAY £10.50 MINIMUM, WITH SOME UP TO £12.50 OR £13 PER HOUR.”
SECTION 5: THE IMPACT
Joe works as the Team Leader at a United Response Service in Southern England where, like the rest of the UK care sector, staff shortages are becoming a real issue.
“I’m currently two staff short within my service and several
of my team have approached me saying that they are either actively looking for other jobs or potentially dropping to relief contracts29 as the cost-of-living and inflation is overwhelming them. I have this gut-wrenching feeling that by the end
of the year, I will be three or four staff down,” he said.
But where people need support, there is no option to wait until new team members can be found to fill vacancies. This means that the use of agency staff, whose cost is significantly above that of full-time employees, is unavoidable.
Joe explains: “For me as a Team Leader, I am feeling deflated and upset for my colleagues. I know times are hard, and I do fully understand that United Response is always doing its best, but I am worried the staffing issues across the sector could result in a lot of services closing.”
“Recruitment is so difficult. We are competing with other sectors that pay £10.50 minimum, with some up to £12.50 or £13 an hour. At £9.80, I don’t believe we stand a chance.”
And Joe himself is feeling the pressure: “My own rent has gone up from £650 to £900, my shopping for the month has gone from around £120 to nearer £170 and my council tax has gone from £135 to £165. I am really feeling the strain.”
Reproduced with the kind permission of United Response, which supports young people and adults who have
a range of mental health needs and disabilities.
29. A relief contract means that an individual works on an ‘as and when’ basis, with no advance agreement made on the particular number of hours or times of work. 27