Norfolk care vacancies sparks alarm as dementia cases rise

And the workforce crisis is happening as people in the county live longer, so if they do suffer ill health, they often need social care support over an extended period.

There is a particular concern that the number of people in the county with dementia could reach 18,000 by 2030 - an increase of 25pc and unpaid carers could struggle to support their loved ones.

The concerns were raised at Norfolk County Council's scrutiny committee, where the authority's new Promoting Independence Strategy came under the spotlight.

Norfolk County Council's County Hall headquarters (Image: Mike Page)

That strategy outlines how the adult social care department at Conservative-controlled County Hall aims to support people within their own homes for as long as possible.

UNABLE TO KEEP PACE 

But it acknowledges challenges, with officers admitting: "We have not been able to keep pace with the increase in people asking for help, and many people are having to wait too long for us to assess their needs and find the right support."

There are more than 1,400 vacancies in Norfolk's care workforce (Image: Unison)

It states: "With more than 1,400 vacancies in our care sector and care providers struggling to recruit, there is less care available for people.

"People who receive care and support in residential and nursing homes need higher levels of care, with staff needing more skills and training to provide good quality, safe care."

Following the meeting, council officers confirmed the vacancies in the care sector in Norfolk and Waveney are at 1,800 - a 7.5pc vacancy rate out of a workforce of approximately 24,000.

The council's strategy details an estimated 15,000 residential and nursing beds will be needed for people aged 75 and over in the "next few years", plus more than 6,000 specialist housing units.

County Hall previously highlighted how hard it is to recruit staff in some areas, such as in north Norfolk.

Labour group leader Steve Morphew (Image: Denise Bradley)

Steve Morphew, Labour group leader and chair of the scrutiny committee, who previously called for County Hall to rent homes to care workers, questioned what the council was doing to tackle the recruitment problem.

He said: "You're effectively saying that, unless you've got the right staff in the right place, then you're not going to be able to deliver this strategy."

'WE'RE IN A STRONGER POSITION'

Debbie Bartlett, the council's interim executive director of adult social services, said the council had been taking action to encourage people to work in the industry.

Debbie Bartlett, interim executive director for adult social care at Norfolk County Council (Image: Norfolk County Council)

She said: "We have seen, over the past nine months or so, that the availability of home care has really, really improved."

She said there was a point when there were some 800 people in Norfolk on the authority's interim care list - indicating their needs are not being fully met - but that the number had reduced to about 40.

Ms Bartlett said: "That is an indicator that the care market capacity is more stable. Obviously, there's huge amounts of work we engage in with the care market to make it an attractive prospect to people.

"In terms of our own recruitment, we are in a much stronger position than we were. There has been a significant investment in apprenticeships.

"You can never take your foot off the accelerator and there are obviously still gaps in Norfolk in the care market in certain areas.

"North Norfolk is a tricky area and some parts of the west as well."

The council said the vacancy rate was the second lowest in East Anglia and had been steadily falling.

DEMENTIA NUMBERS TO SOAR? 

Liberal Democrat leader Brian Watkins expressed concerns over the soaring number of people with dementia and what specific plans were in place to deal with that.

Liberal Democrat group leader Brian Watkins (Image: Liberal Democrats)

Ms Bartlett said the council wanted to keep people with dementia in the homes they were familiar with as far as possible.

READ MORE: Chris Sutton's dementia campaign raised in Parliament

She said there was also a need for a renewed focus on supporting people who care for loved ones with dementia.

She said initiatives such as the Dementia Friends scheme, which raises awareness and understanding around the disease, can help people with dementia continue to live in the way they want.

Alison Thomas, Norfolk County Council cabinet member for adult social care (Image: Archant)

Alison Thomas, Conservative cabinet member for adult social care, said her father had cared for her mother when she had dementia, so she understood the impact on people.