Priory chief executive Rebekah Cresswell has said the government’s announcement on the social care workforce this week is a “step in the right direction”.

On Wednesday, the government announced a package of domestic workforce measures, including a national career pathway for care workers, £20 million for social care and nurse apprenticeships; and new adult social care and digital leadership qualifications.

Rebekah Cresswell, chief executive at Priory, said: “At Priory, we have long championed the idea of ‘care as a career’ and so we welcome government plans to invest in a national career structure for the adult social care workforce. We see it as a vital step in recognising the breadth and complexity of care, and the value of care workers and the significant role they play in supporting the nation’s health and wellbeing.

“As we’ve found through establishing our own career pathways at Priory – which offer colleagues training and development opportunities so they can upskill and progress in their role – providing learning opportunities is a key driver in retaining a stable workforce. We know that care workers are ambitious and skilled individuals and look forward to learning how the new national structure will support people’s various aspirations.

“Knowing the positive impact our apprentices continue to make at Priory, we’re pleased to see plans for more apprenticeships and subsidised training places, which have the potential to open up the sector further by offering greater financial support for people to learn on the job. 

“Improving digital capabilities among social care leaders is important to support the embedding of new technology that can give social care colleagues time back to care, improve outcomes for the people we support and encourage innovation.”