The recruitment of registered nurses into social care is ‘starting to improve’ but concerns remain around high turnover rates and a reliance on international recruits, according to a new report.
‘The state of the adult social care sector and workforce in England’ report from Skills for Care shows the number of filled registered nurse post rose by 1,100 between 2022/23 to 2023/24 – with around 34,000 registered nurse posts currently occupied.
While this still represented a fall of 5,000 posts between 2017/28 and 2023/24, the report said latest figures suggested that ‘previous problems with recruitment for this job role are starting to improve’.
The vacancy rate for registered nurses also fell from 11.3% in 2022/23 to 9.0% – standing at 2,900 vacant posts for 2023/24.
However, Skills for Care also found there continued to be what was described as a ‘relatively high turnover’ of registered nurses in the sector – at 30.5% in 2023/24 – equivalent to around 8,900 leavers.
In comparison, registered nurses and health visitors working in the NHS had a turnover rate of 9.2% as at March 2024.
Registered nurses had an average of 4.9 years’ experience in their specific role, compared with 9.1 years for senior management roles and 8.7 years for registered managers in social care.
However, it also found that registered nurses were among the professionals with the most years of experience, with an average of 17.7 years.
The report said this ‘indicates that many nurses have moved between employers in the social care sector’.
In total, the adult social care workforce grew by 4.2% between 2022/23 to 2023/24, with around 1.7 million people in post at the last count.
The report said this rise helped by a ‘record level of international recruitment’ in the year 2023/24, with 105,000 international recruits joining the social care sector.
It also warned of a decline in the number of Health and Care Worker visas being granted since March 2024, with direct care workers arriving from overseas no longer allowed to bring dependents on their visa, as per new guidance.
In the year ending June 2024 there was a 26% decrease in visas granted to applicants. There was also a notable fall in visa applications over the last quarter, between April and June 2024, 81% lower than the same period in 2023.
Pointing to data from the Home Office, report said in the year ending June 2024, there was a 26% decrease in visas granted and that between April and June 2024 there was an 81% drop in visa applications.
Sam Foster, executive nurse director for professional practice at the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), said she welcomed the report but warned that ‘a familiar high turnover rate underlines the urgent need for sustained investment and proper recognition of nursing professionals’.
‘That recognition needs to begin through education, with more students being offered placements in social care settings to build their knowledge, skills and experience of this rewarding career pathway,’ she explained.
Meanwhile, Claire Sutton, transformational lead for the independent health and social care sector at the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), said: ‘A fall in social care vacancies masks the harsh reality of a sector which has nowhere near enough staff to meet people’s needs.’
She warned that a collapse in domestic recruitment was ‘forcing employers to recruit internationally to fill gaps’.
And Ms Sutton stressed that low wages within the sector was contributing to recruitment and retention challenges.
‘Improving wages and workplace rights in social care are crucial to bolstering the sector’s workforce and easing pressure on the NHS,’ she added.
