London councils to work together to solve recruitment crisis

Steps towards collaboration between London boroughs to tackle
the social care recruitment crisis have been set in motion,
writes Rachel Downey.

Leading figures from a wide range of social care agencies
gathered at a symposium hosted by Community Care as part
of its Care in the Capital week (17-21 June) initiative focusing
attention on the shortage of social care workers in London.

Participants agreed that collaboration between the 33 London
boroughs and with the NHS workforce development confederations, was
key to tackling the social care recruitment crisis.

David Behan, senior vice-president of the Association of
Directors of Social Services, said that if local authorities
collaborated more and competed less, the situation would
improve.

Anthony Douglas, executive director of community services at
Havering and author of a major report on the recruitment and
retention of social care workers in London released to launch Care
in the Capital, argued for a co-ordinated approach with the
NHS.

“The London boroughs, through the Association of London
Government and the SSI, need to introduce some funding into
recruitment and retention work,” said Douglas. He suggested
£5,000– £10,000 from each London borough would
begin to produce an overall budget.

Symposium participants said good staff were lost when they
reached the retirement age of 65. David Behan outlined how home
care workers who were retiring from local authorities, wanted to
continue working so joined agencies which then sent them back to
work for their old employer.