Care workers feeling ‘burnt out’ and agency staff costs are ‘unaffordable’

Care workers across Rochdale are feeling ‘burnt out’, fewer people are staying in the job and agency staff costs are sky high, a report has revealed.

The council is struggling to keep care home staff and are finding it difficult to recruit new people, according to a recent report from the assistant director adult social care commissioning and prevention, Hayley Ashall. Care workers are seeing longer hours, increased number of shifts and dealing with heightened pressure that has gone beyond the pandemic, papers suggest.

This has led to ‘burn out’ as well as more sickness due to some staff members not being able to afford time off for being unwell – leading to increased spreading of viruses, the report claims.

The Enhanced Care Home Model Overview report read: “Staff shortages result in further pressure on the existing workforce. Research shows that a high proportion of carers will also be impacted by the cost of living crisis, again possibly leading to further stress to the workforce.

“This can lead to a sense of disenchantment in current roles, increased absence through sickness as well as the possibility of staff becoming so disenfranchised they leave the industry altogether.

“Some care workers cannot afford to be off and will attend work when unwell, passing illness to colleagues and risking the health of the people they support.”

It went on to say that fewer staff in the field means that the cost of agency staff has been “driven to almost unaffordable levels.”

Currently, Rochdale Council commissions 54 residential social care services across the borough as well as 412 nursing beds from across nine homes with nursing services.

They also commission 1,152 residential beds across 45 care homes without nursing services.

Due to the level of responsibility the council has when it comes to social care, the Enhanced Care Home Model is set to be introduced.

This new model focuses on developing a variety of interventions and support care homes so they have everything they need to thrive.

This incorporates a ‘neighbourhood approach’ which involves listening to the views and issues of individual residents, their families and care home staff, the report states. It is hoped that this long-term plan pushed by the NHS can help improve the quality of service for both users and staff to create a more sustainable future.

The council believes they have already made a start on this through their initiatives such as the real living wage in care services for staff as well as their vision for a new dementia facility.

Nichola Thompson, Rochdale Borough Council’s director of adult care, said: “There are considerable pressures nationally on the care system so we are taking action to address challenges, retain and recruit staff, and ensure we continue to deliver high-quality care for our residents.

This includes our vision for a new dementia facility and an increased focus on care services for people with complex needs.

“In addition, through initiatives like our real living wage, which has paid for thousands of local care staff, we will continue to work with the sector to ensure high-quality staff are recruited and retained, helping to drive up care standards across the borough.”

George Lythgoe, Local Democracy Reporter