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Dear Capacity Tracker User,
‘DHSC Survey into Workforce Challenges September 2021’
DHSC are asking Care Homes and Home Care providers to complete a short survey available within Capacity Tracker from 13th September onwards.
Why are DHSC asking for more information about workforce challenges in Adult Social Care?
DHSC recognise and appreciate the ongoing hard work of care staff, providers, and local authorities in ensuring the provision of good quality adult social care services. They also appreciate that ASC workforce recruitment and retention has been a long-standing challenge since before the pandemic.
In the past few weeks, DHSC has heard from the sector and care organisations who they work closely with, that challenges in sustaining sufficient workforce capacity and capability are increasing, with some reports that this is now more difficult than ever before, or during the height of the pandemic. Reports suggest that absences, staff leaving and increased difficulty in recruiting new staff, are all factors contributing to the challenges.
However, these reports are not currently reflected in the workforce related data that DHSC have. Monthly staff vacancy rates reported by Skills for Care do not appear to be rising significantly (and are still below pre-pandemic levels) and DHSC is not seeing significant increases in absence rates or providers reporting ‘Red’ workforce status in Capacity Tracker, which remain lower than at the peak of the pandemic.
DHSC appreciate that there may be a number of reasons for this, and so to better understand the workforce challenges the sector is facing, and to plan what measures DHSC could introduce to support providers, they are asking both home care and care home providers to provide feedback through this short survey.
All the surveys completed by providers are extremely valuable and will be reviewed by DHSC. Although each survey is not anonymous (as DHSC would like to understand more about where these pressures are greatest) an assurance is given that individual provider details will not be shared outside of DHSC.
Completing the Survey
- Care Home and Home Care providers can access the survey via the Home Screen https://capacitytracker.com/home , then selecting their provider Setup/Update tile and the DHSC Workforce Challenges September 21 Survey hyperlink option
- The survey should take less than 5 minutes to complete
- DHSC may ask you to repeat this survey in the future to track if the situation is worsening or improving but will only do this if absolutely necessary
Any further Questions?
If you have any questions about the DHSC Workforce Challenges September 2021’ Survey, please email Capacitytracker-guidance@dhsc.gov.uk
Home Care COVID-19 Update (Daily) Survey Question
Home Care providers are advised that DHSC have issued clarification with regards to the first question in the COVID-19 Update (Daily) Survey "How many people are using your service today?"
Providers completing this question should input the client list number on the day in question (i.e., the day the survey is updated on Capacity Tracker)
This interpretation adds the most value to any subsequent analysis and Home Care providers are asked to amend their update responses accordingly.
Screen guidance containing this clarification will be added as part of the next system update on 27/09/21.
With kind regards
Capacity Tracker Team on behalf of DHSC
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