Pushed to the brink: social care vacancies continue to soar
New research revealed the UK’s care crisis has reached tipping point as the demand for care has skyrocketed in a sector that’s severely understaffed.
Social care workers based in the UK have been under mountains of pressure since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. High demand for care mixed with limited resources and no funding has forced many people out of the sector and has deterred others from joining the workforce.
Against this backdrop, new research from Found CRM, a care home management software, has revealed that one in every ten jobs in the care sector are vacant whilst demand for care is at an all-time high.
Proof of care demands being through the roof can be seen in the latest research from Lottie, a free service that helps people in the UK find the best care home for them and the creators of Found CRM. The organisation have experienced a 40% increase in demand for people looking for elderly care services since the beginning of 2024.
Experts discovered that the North East is the hardest hit region as they have the lowest number of social care workers (86,000) across the UK and the lowest technology uptake (less than 10%).
In contrast, researchers also found that almost half of care homes in the South East have adopted technology into their everyday tasks and have nearly tripled the number of social care workers as a result.
‘It is more important than ever before that the social care sector begins to invest in technology to not only address the staffing crisis affecting the social care sector but also to meet the demands of thousands of families desperately seeking elderly care and support,’ Chris Donnelly, CEO at Found CRM said. ‘The importance of embracing technology in care homes cannot be overstated. It enhances operational efficiency and plays a pivotal role in increasing staffing levels and ultimately boosting occupancy rate.’
Chris added: ‘Found’s data underlines the urgency of such investments, particularly in regions like the North East, where a combination of low technology adoption and a shortage of social care workers exacerbates the challenges faced by the elderly care sector.’
Image: Eric Prouzet
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