EXCLUSIVE: Care chiefs calls for government backing for ‘fast track’ leadership scheme

Care chiefs have called on the government to back a leadership scheme designed to attract high-calibre talent to tackle the recruitment and retention challenges facing the sector.

Modelled on successful government-backed public sector graduate programmes, such as Teach First, the Social Care Leaders Scheme is designed to combat the loss of senior leaders in the sector by creating a new cadre of “bright and motivated” registered care home managers within two years.

In an open letter to the Health and Social Care Secretary Therese Coffey, the Steering Group, led by chair Professor David Grayson CBE, warns the challenges facing social care are “enormously worrying” with difficulties in recruiting registered managers now “leading directly to care providers closing and/or returning contracts”.

Currently, 12.5% of registered manager roles are vacant with 32% of current incumbents over 55 years old and turnover a worrying 25%. 

The letters’ signatories “absolutely support all attempts to develop and nurture staff already employed in the sector” but argue that “research shows that the need to bring in additional capacity is essential and urgent”.

The scheme, which is estimated at £115 million over its first five years, would be run on a not-for-profit basis with the government asked to stump up 39% of funding with the remaining 61% funded by care providers.  

A fully-developed Business Case has been developed for the Scheme, funded by the CareTech Foundation, Hallmark Foundation, Anchor Hanover and Kent County Council, following extensive engagement across the sector.

Backing the proposals, the Rt Hon Damian Green MP, former Deputy Prime Minister and chair of Public Policy Project’s social care programme for 2022, said: “The idea of a ‘Teach First’ model is ideal to adapt for the social care sector. It has worked for teaching, it has worked for police, it would work for social care. The need of the social care sector is such that it requires innovative ideas to be introduced as soon as possible, and the Social Care Leaders Scheme promises to provide the necessary shift.”

The signatories to the letter are: Professor David Grayson CBE, chair of Leonard Cheshire; Nadra Ahmed OBE, executive chairman, National Care Association; Dame Julia Cleverdon CBE, vice patron, Teach First; James Darley chief executive, Transform Society; Jonathan Freeman MBE, chief executive, CareTech Foundation; Professor Martin Green OBE, chief executive, Care England; Vic Rayner OBE, chief executive, National Care Forum; and Jon Wilks, chief executive,  Institute of Health and Social Care Management.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We are investing £5.4 billion over the next three years to reform adult social care – to end the lottery of unpredictable care costs and support the workforce.

“Our social care workforce are valued, appreciated and supported. And we set out in the People at the Heart of Care White Paper clear investment in training to boost career opportunities.”

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