Agenda item

Vanessa Rogers asked the Executive Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing the following question which was answered by the Deputy Executive Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing:


Question

The Borough relies heavily on EU migrant labour in the health and manual labour markets, as well as on the highly skilled sectors of its local industries.  Has the Borough recognised and prepared for the impact of a labour shortage in all these sectors and especially the care/NHS sectors, in view of the fact that EU migrants are leaving the UK and the area en masse and the numbers are not being replace by EU migration?

 

Minutes:

The Borough relies heavily on EU migrant labour in the health and manual labour markets, as well as on the highly skilled sectors of its local industries.  Has the Borough recognised and prepared for the impact of a labour shortage in all these sectors and especially the care/NHS sectors, in view of the fact that EU migrants are leaving the UK and the area en masse and the numbers are not being replace by EU migration?

 

Answer

Recruitment and retention of workers within the NHS and social care is well established as a priority and it is only right that we the public, and users of the services also care about this issue, so thank you for raising it tonight. 

 

To answer your question, we have to relook at the data so 5% of NHS staff are EU nationals.  NHS figures published this year shows currently there are more EU nationals joining the NHS than leaving.  8% of social care staff are EU nationals.  If we look locally at Optalis, at social care, and this applies to a number of our residents locally, as well as social care staff employed directly by this Council, both have a lower staff turnover than the national average.  It is also worth highlighting that as part of the Local Integrated Care System, we have a dedicated Workforce Strategy Group.  That is made up of representatives from the local care companies and one of their focuses is the recruitment and retention of social workers.   When I asked the CEO of Optalis, Martin Farrow, about your question he said that there had been no adverse recruitment and retention issues linked to Brexit, but of course we can only go on the current evidence that we have and if this changes then we will adapt.  I want to assure you that recruitment and retention of the staff will be a priority whatever the eventuality.

 

Supplementary Question:

Yesterday the Prime Minister proudly announced an end to freedom of movement and that EU nationals would not be able to jump the queue but be in line with other multi nationals who would be considered for immigration based on their skills and talents.  Britain faces a nursing shortage of 20,000 permanent staff this year from the EU.  The number registering dropped by 87% compared with 2016/17 figures (Christie and Co Consultations) and considering the UK has put a cap on skills levels, plus veto on migrant staff coming into the UK at less than Band 7 or higher in the NHS, has the Borough put in place any training scheme or enterprise awards which could be offered to young, unemployed, eligible people in the area to entice them to fill this gap?

 

Supplementary Answer:

It might be worth if we both get in touch with the Workforce Strategy Group that I mentioned as well as the CEO of Optalis.  So after the Public Question Time I will give you my card and if you want to get in contact with me, we will see what they are up to and what they have planned in light of the announcement.