Responding to the Department of Health and Social Care's plans for a new career path and qualifications to boost the domestic care workforce, Royal College of Nursing Director for England, Patricia Marquis said:
"We hope ministers are at last getting the message that the only way to fill the significant vacancies in social care is by valuing nursing and care staff, and boosting domestic recruitment. However, the plans announced today will fail if they are not backed up by new funding commitments, further detail, and a comprehensive workforce plan.
"Right now, the turnover of nursing staff in the social care sector is three times higher than in the NHS, and the sector is being kept afloat by internationally recruited staff. This is not ethical or sustainable.
"Whilst education and training are critical to solving the staffing crisis, for far too long social care workers have been professionally overlooked and short-changed with meager pay and poor conditions. Ministers must also address poor pay and employment terms for nursing staff working in social care - at least matching the NHS agenda for change contract."
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