NMC responds to new Skills for Care report into adult social care

Commenting on the report, Chris Dzikiti, Executive Director of Professional Practice at the NMC, said:

“We welcome Skills for Care’s latest comprehensive report on the adult social care sector and workforce in England.

“Social care nursing is a lifeline for people and communities, so it’s positive to see registered nurse posts increase for a third consecutive year and vacancy rates fall. However, the pace of growth is slowing. This chimes with our own registration data, which shows that growth in the overall nursing workforce, particularly through international recruitment, has fallen sharply in recent years.

“With the Prime Minister setting out an ambition for a National Care Service, it’s vital that we build a sustainable nursing workforce to meet people's evolving needs. That starts with encouraging more people to consider social care nursing as a rewarding career path, with students having access to high-quality practice learning opportunities. That’s why we supported Skills for Care’s strategy to expand placements for nursing students in social care settings, so they can build their confidence and skills in a variety of settings.

“Alongside this, nurses need to feel valued and supported to stay in the sector. Investing in continuing professional development and fostering positive workplace cultures are key to retaining experienced professionals and delivering safe, equitable care.

“The report also highlights the important role delegated healthcare activities play across adult social care. As care is increasingly delivered by multi-disciplinary teams, it’s essential that professionals are supported to understand their responsibilities when delegating tasks. Through our review of the Code, we have identified delegation as an area requiring greater clarity and support, particularly in community and social care settings. We will consult later this year on updated standards and accompanying guidance to support safe delegation in practice.”

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