£1,000 for care home nursing shifts

Some agencies charging up to £1,000 per shift at care homes, a new report which is giving a snapshot of nursing in the independent social care sector has claimed.

The report, titled Independent Sector Nursing Data, is to be published by Scottish Care, the organisation representing those delivering residential care, nursing care, day care, care at home and housing support.

The report says home operators are increasingly relying on agencies to fill rotas at an average cost of £434-per-shift – although some can charge up to £1,000 per shift.

The report identified a 44 per cent increase in the number of nurses registered with nurse agencies in 2014-16. It found 64 per cent of nurses in care homes were over the age of 45. Average vacancy levels across sector were 31 per cent compared with 28 per cent in 2016.

Turnover of nursing staff is now 43 per cent compared to 29 per cent in 2016 and 46 per cent of providers have increased their use of agency staff in the last three months.

Speaking ahead of the report’s launch today, Dr Donald Macaskill, chief executive of Scottish Care, said nearly a third of nursing posts are currently vacant.

He said: “Despite strenuous efforts matters have got even worse in 2017 and we are now at the stage of many care homes being placed at real risk in terms of their survival.

“Paying exorbitant agency fees to plug a continuing gap is wholly unsustainable.”

Dr Macaskill added: “This raises questions about whether current student nurse intake levels are sufficient.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Although more can still be done, significant progress has been made including action to enhance the care home setting for student nurses and staff. There’s been a 4.7 per cent increase in nursing and midwifery intakes for 2017-18 – the fifth successive rise.”

The spokesman also said an estimated 2,600 extra training places would be created over the next four years.