OACH ask Peter what he has witnessed in the care sector in recent years regards staff recruitment:

“Recruitment over the past 5 years has been very challenging.  Before Brexit 95 % of nurses sourced were from the EU.  However, over the past 3 years Seed Recruitment sourced 1 person from the EU who has gone on to be a very successful manager.”  Thus the care home sector has had to adapt and be agile in its approach to staff recruitment and retention and Peter highlights how employer sponsorship is now a leading factor in recruiting outside of the EU from overseas.

OACH ask what current care sector employment challenges are you seeing Peter?

“The challenge Care Homes now face is if they do not offer sponsorship they will be left behind. Currently 95% of nurses found come from Africa, Philippines, India and the Caribbean.  These nurses are amazing but it takes time to process the sponsorship and some getting their NMC Pin.  Sponsorship is costly however worth every penny, and working alongside a specialist recruiter for the social care sector ensures Right to Work Checks are up to date.”

“As part of a Care Home staff recruitment and retention strategy it is recommended that whether they are supported internally or externally that the staffing structure is regularly re-visited to ensure the right level of employee investment, and this includes assessing employee abilities retained in the sponsorship route.”

“The key to retaining staff is to make sure all staff are treated with dignity and respect, treat them like you would like to be treated yourself.  If staff are looked after on a daily basis they will look after your clients.  Mental health is a huge topic at the moment so make sure staff are excited about coming to work each day.  In some of the best Care Homes I recruit for the home manager will get out and about around the care home service as much as possible to show their face and mentor their staff, show them that although they have the responsibility of care home manager they are also a member of the team, the door is always open to anyone who needs them.”

“Salaries have also gone up over the past few years impacted in the main by the increase in the national minimum wage. Prepare a staffing recruitment and retention strategy and revisit it with your team’s needs on a regular basis.  Offering flexible packages and benefits, showing that you care about your staff’s continuous training and development, all help to enhance your care teams morale and loyalty.”

“Invest in your staff and they will invest in you.”