THE government is failing to provide the leadership required to deliver a social care sector sufficient to meet the country’s future needs, a new report from MPs reveals today.
Initiatives by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to support the workforce have so far only been short-term, while a long-term and comprehensive workforce plan is lacking, the public accounts committee has found.
Its report states that MPs “remain unconvinced” about whether the department knows if it is achieving value for money from additional funding going to adult social care.
With 121,000 vacancies and 44.8% of staff feeling unwell from work stress, the NHS 10-year plan will not succeed unless the government takes immediate action to retain existing staff, writes ANNETTE MANSELL-GREEN



