Health Secretary’s claim on care worker visa change ‘beggars belief’ – care leader
A care leader has questioned the Health Secretary’s claim that people within the sector are “broadly relaxed” about changes banning international care workers from bringing dependants when they come to the UK.
Victoria Atkins made the comment before a committee of MPs earlier this week when asked about how proposed new visa rules might affect the workforce.
But the chairman of the Independent Care Group which represents providers in York and North Yorkshire, said her phrasing “beggars belief” and insisted it “could not be further from the truth”.
Mike Padgham (pictured) said the comment “illustrates how little the Government understands the current situation in social care”.
He added: “To say we are broadly relaxed could not be further from the truth – the sector has been plunged further into crisis by these latest measures.
“The banning of dependents will deter many people from coming to work for social care when we have 152,000 vacancies and desperately need overseas staff to keep delivering care to older and vulnerable adults who rely upon us on a daily basis.”
He called the Government’s new measures “draconian and knee-jerk”, while “failing to do anything to help us recruit more from this country”.
He said: “At the moment, many providers would not be able to fill their shifts without their overseas staff, who we should be welcoming with open arms.
“Instead, the Government is putting measures in place to reduce numbers without having an alternative in place to provide us with the staff we need.”
He said there could be knock-on effects as reduced availability in community care would “undoubtedly increase the number of people who cannot be discharged from hospital”.
He echoed long-voiced calls from others in the sector for a “proper workforce strategy” backed by “sufficient funding” which would make it “an attractive place to work compared to other sectors and on a par with the NHS”.
He added: “Then we might see a reduction in the workforce shortage that is threatening proper, safe care delivery.”
During her appearance before the Health and Social Care Committee on Wednesday – the first in her new role – Ms Atkins said the sector understands the need for a change in approach.
She told MPs: “I think actually we have got to a very sensible place and indeed my understanding from (Care) Minister (Helen) Whately’s conversations with the social care sector is that they understand and they are broadly relaxed about this.”
Ms Atkins added that the Government is “confident that we will still be able to maintain the level of interest internationally for care workers”.
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