Working Within a Perfect Storm: The Current UK Care Crisis in Community Neurorehabilitation

Context: Within the UK, there is a shortage of support workers required to meet the needs of individuals with acquired brain injuries who often require extensive care packages. Objective: This study aimed to identify the issues surrounding support worker recruitment and retention and to identify...

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Main Authors: Alyson Norman, Mark Holloway, Jackie Dean, Andrew Patterson, Ben Needham-Holmes, Valentina Curro, Craig Andrews, Phillipa Feltham-White, Jo Clark-Wilson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: LSE Press 2024-12-01
Series:Journal of Long-Term Care
Subjects:
Online Access:https://account.journal.ilpnetwork.org/index.php/lse-j-jltc/article/view/336
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author Alyson Norman
Mark Holloway
Jackie Dean
Andrew Patterson
Ben Needham-Holmes
Valentina Curro
Craig Andrews
Phillipa Feltham-White
Jo Clark-Wilson
author_facet Alyson Norman
Mark Holloway
Jackie Dean
Andrew Patterson
Ben Needham-Holmes
Valentina Curro
Craig Andrews
Phillipa Feltham-White
Jo Clark-Wilson
author_sort Alyson Norman
collection DOAJ
description Context: Within the UK, there is a shortage of support workers required to meet the needs of individuals with acquired brain injuries who often require extensive care packages. Objective: This study aimed to identify the issues surrounding support worker recruitment and retention and to identify the impact on the care received by individuals with brain injuries and other complex needs. Method: Two surveys were sent out to members of the British Association of Brain and Complex Case Management (BABICM) to better understand retention and recruitment issues within their organisations. Cross-sectional data were collected in January 2022 and again in April 2023. Data from the surveys were analysed using qualitative content analysis of the free text responses and descriptive statistics of the quantitative responses. Findings: The content analysis identified a total of seven themes with associated sub-themes: 1) recruiting suitable and experienced staff, 2) low employment incentives, 3) general impact of the pandemic, 4) unsustainable staffing costs, 5) staff burnout, 6) family burden and 7) safeguarding. Limitations: Findings from this study were obtained from BABICM members, meaning issues within statutory social care are not directly reflected here, although discussion is included about the implications for the United Kingdom statutory social care services. Implications: The current crisis in support worker recruitment is leading to reduced support choice for individuals with brain injuries as well as increased costs. Family members are experiencing a greater burden of care. The situation has led to an increase in safeguarding issues.
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spelling doaj-art-3b85a9375bda4dfda9056932ea985bd22025-08-20T01:57:00ZengLSE PressJournal of Long-Term Care2516-91222024-12-0110.31389/jltc.336Working Within a Perfect Storm: The Current UK Care Crisis in Community NeurorehabilitationAlyson Norman0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4332-6049Mark Holloway1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3491-8242Jackie Dean2Andrew Patterson3Ben Needham-Holmes4Valentina Curro5Craig Andrews6Phillipa Feltham-White7Jo Clark-Wilson8University of PlymouthHead First case management, KentN-Able Services, Birkenhead, WirralJSP LTD, CorbridgeEOS Rehabilitation, LutterworthUniversity of Plymouth, PlymouthUniversity of Plymouth, PlymouthBush & Co, DaventryHead First case management, Kent Context: Within the UK, there is a shortage of support workers required to meet the needs of individuals with acquired brain injuries who often require extensive care packages. Objective: This study aimed to identify the issues surrounding support worker recruitment and retention and to identify the impact on the care received by individuals with brain injuries and other complex needs. Method: Two surveys were sent out to members of the British Association of Brain and Complex Case Management (BABICM) to better understand retention and recruitment issues within their organisations. Cross-sectional data were collected in January 2022 and again in April 2023. Data from the surveys were analysed using qualitative content analysis of the free text responses and descriptive statistics of the quantitative responses. Findings: The content analysis identified a total of seven themes with associated sub-themes: 1) recruiting suitable and experienced staff, 2) low employment incentives, 3) general impact of the pandemic, 4) unsustainable staffing costs, 5) staff burnout, 6) family burden and 7) safeguarding. Limitations: Findings from this study were obtained from BABICM members, meaning issues within statutory social care are not directly reflected here, although discussion is included about the implications for the United Kingdom statutory social care services. Implications: The current crisis in support worker recruitment is leading to reduced support choice for individuals with brain injuries as well as increased costs. Family members are experiencing a greater burden of care. The situation has led to an increase in safeguarding issues. https://account.journal.ilpnetwork.org/index.php/lse-j-jltc/article/view/336Brain Injurysocial care sectorsupport workerrehabilitationcase managementeconomics
spellingShingle Alyson Norman
Mark Holloway
Jackie Dean
Andrew Patterson
Ben Needham-Holmes
Valentina Curro
Craig Andrews
Phillipa Feltham-White
Jo Clark-Wilson
Working Within a Perfect Storm: The Current UK Care Crisis in Community Neurorehabilitation
Journal of Long-Term Care
Brain Injury
social care sector
support worker
rehabilitation
case management
economics
title Working Within a Perfect Storm: The Current UK Care Crisis in Community Neurorehabilitation
title_full Working Within a Perfect Storm: The Current UK Care Crisis in Community Neurorehabilitation
title_fullStr Working Within a Perfect Storm: The Current UK Care Crisis in Community Neurorehabilitation
title_full_unstemmed Working Within a Perfect Storm: The Current UK Care Crisis in Community Neurorehabilitation
title_short Working Within a Perfect Storm: The Current UK Care Crisis in Community Neurorehabilitation
title_sort working within a perfect storm the current uk care crisis in community neurorehabilitation
topic Brain Injury
social care sector
support worker
rehabilitation
case management
economics
url https://account.journal.ilpnetwork.org/index.php/lse-j-jltc/article/view/336
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