Homes will suffer if care staff cannot get fast track visas
EXCLUDING care home workers from a ‘fast-track’ visa route into the UK will have a ‘devastating impact’ in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon has warned.
Home Secretary Priti Patel has unveiled plans designed to ‘make it easier and quicker’ for people from abroad to work in the country’s health service following Brexit.
However, care home workers will be excluded from the list – despite serious concerns over the impact on Scotland’s social care workforce.
More than 4,200 of those working in residential facilities come from the EU – with another 6,000 in social care.
Yesterday, the First Minister said Miss Patel’s decision was wrong. Miss Sturgeon said: ‘The fact that social care workers will not be eligible for the health and care visa in future could be devastating for that workforce.
‘Particularly now when we owe so much to our social care workforce, to exclude them from this visa risks sending the message that we are not grateful for the contribution they have made.
‘I think it is the wrong decision and I will make very strong representations to the UK Government to change that.’
Miss Sturgeon said her government would be ‘thinking very hard about how we reflect on the lessons of the pandemic’, saying the ‘enormous debt of gratitude we owe’ would ‘undoubtedly be reflected in pay negotiations’.
Care homes have been thrown into crisis during the Covid-19 pandemic, with 1,939 deaths in Scotland – more than in hospitals as of July 5.
The UK will leave the EU in December when the transition period ends. This will see an end to freedom of movement – with restrictions on people from EU countries coming to the UK to live and work.
A point-based system, including requirements for visa applicants to have a job offer and be proficient in English, is now planned.
The fast-track health and care visa will allow those with confirmed jobs in the NHS or care sector to hear back within three weeks of their application and pay reduced fees.
This will include doctors, nurses, social workers and paramedics – but care home workers have been excluded.
Miss Patel claims the system will encourage employers to attract the ‘brightest’ talent – as well as invest in workers from the UK. But concerns have been raised over the impact on Scotland’s care home sector.
Scottish Care chief executive Donald Macaskill said: ‘Threequarters of our providers recruit from outside the UK. The challenge is it can be hard to staff, particularly in rural areas.’
Mr Macaskill said that up to 30 per cent of staff in some Highland care homes are from overjob’, seas, and there were still difficulties in encouraging people from the UK to work in homes despite campaigns from providers and government.
He said: ‘In ordinary times we have not been able to fill these posts with indigenous people, but that is in times of high employment.’
Mr Macaskill also warned that ‘not everybody is suited to the with some quitting after three months. He said: ‘It is demanding, especially the emotional side.’
Last week, Boris Johnson claimed ‘too many care homes didn’t really follow the procedures’ in the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak, sparking anger within the industry.
Care homes suffered terribly during lockdown – with coronavirus causing thousands of deaths, and with owners struggling to access PPE and government support.
Brian Sloan, chief executive of charity Age Scotland, said: ‘The decision will create greater tensions within the sector and ultimately affect the wellbeing of older and vulnerable people.’
In a statement to the House of Commons, Miss Patel said: ‘At a time where an increased number of people across the UK are looking for work, the new pointsbased system will encourage employers to invest in the domestic UK workforce.’
‘Devastating for that workforce’