Cornwall care home workers appeal for recognition of skills

Sophie Leshon said it was demanding but rewarding work

The boss of a chain of Cornish care homes is calling for care workers to be given greater recognition in a bid to encourage staff to stay in the sector.

Recruitment difficulties are impacting hospital discharge rates and ambulance waiting times.

Care home staff described a "two-tier system" which fails to recognise their efforts.

A care boss is calling for key worker status and equal pay.

'Poor relation'

Leah Marsh, CEO of Swallowcourt Care Homes, said: "A carer in care isn't considered an attractive proposition with low pay... but also we're almost in competition with the NHS, that seems a more appealing option."

She called for care workers to have key worker status and pay equality and added: "It's about having parity. It's like there's a two-tier system and social care is seen as the poor relation. We don't get the same recognition.

"And it's really frustrating, because we have empty rooms, and we hear about the blockages within the NHS - particularly at Treliske [Royal Cornwall Hospital] - and if we only had the staff, we could help support that problem.

"Key worker status, we need it."

Ponsandane Care Home is short of six full-time health care workers

Swallowcourt runs six care homes in Cornwall and several are not at full capacity due to a shortage of staff.

Ponsandane Care Home in Penzance is short of six full-time health care workers, a full-time nurse, housekeepers and overnight staff.

Manager Brondi Sheehy said: "We're always looking to fill shifts, move people around. There's a lot of agency use. But it's still really difficult. I know coming up, there are days where we won't get full cover."

Sophie Leshon, a member of staff, said: "It can be hard work, very demanding, but it's really rewarding. But we've lost a lot of great carers, they've just found better job opportunities with more pay unfortunately."

According to Skills for Care - which specialises in workforce intelligence - there are currently 1,800 care worker vacancies in Cornwall.

Cornwall Council estimates it needs another 250 people to work in care this winter.

Kate Terroni, from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), said urgent steps needed to be taken on planning, investment and workforce to avoid "continuing deterioration in people's access to and experience of care".

Leah Marsh spoke of the recruitment challenges she faces

A spokesman from the Department of Health and Social Care said "up to £7.5bn" had been made available in the Autumn Statement.

He said over the next two years it would support adult social care, the equivalent to "200,000 additional care packages" and the "biggest funding increase in history".

He added this was on top of "an additional £500m" to boost hospital discharge, freeing up beds to speed up ambulance handovers and bolster the social care workforce.

The spokesman said the South West would get £8.8m of that funding.

He added their Made with Care campaign was encouraging people to work in adult social care and they were investing £15m in international recruitment.

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