Cornwall’s adult social care workforce strategy
Ahead of the new national care workforce strategy to be published tomorrow (July 18), Cornwall Council sets out its ambitious plans to recruit and retain the county’s care workforce.
Cornwall Council has published Delivering Better Care, its three-year strategy for the adult social care independent workforce. This sets out the actions it will take to support employers to improve training, career pathways and support for well-being for staff, which will in turn attract more people into the care sector – and ensure they stay.
Photo by Diana Polekhina
Key strategic priorities include recruitment to address labour shortages and the required workforce growth, improved retention rates through secure employment and worker recognition, and a more skilled workforce achieved by training, qualifications and career progression. The promotion of health, well-being and equality is also acknowledged as central to building an effective workforce in the long term.
The strategy has been developed with the support of academics from Manchester Metropolitan University and through engagement with stakeholders from across the sector. This included the ‘Proud to Care’ group of independent social care providers such as representatives from Cornwall Partnership in Care (CPIC), education and training providers, and representatives from the Integrated Care System, Integrated Care Board, Cornwall Commissioning team, Virtual Health and Social Care Academy, Cornwall Council, Skills for Care and ADASS.
Cllr Andy Virr, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health at Cornwall Council, says: ‘Our workforce is our greatest strength and at the heart of all we do. We recognise the significant pressures faced by those delivering care services in Cornwall and the necessity to change the model of care to meet current and future needs. This strategy outlines the ways we will support people to experience good work and deliver excellent social care, giving the right people the right skills in the right place. The workforce should be valued for their contribution within the wider health and care sector.
‘To deliver on these aims will mean working with a wide range of partners including our local NHS partners and care providers. It is a priority for stakeholders to work together to address workforce challenges and we urge them to get in touch if they want to help us deliver the strategy.’
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