Key Challenges
Challenges in relation to developing our workforce include resourcing training and education to make it more productive.
A key challenge in relation to growth of the health and social care workforce is competition from local retail, manufacturing and service sectors within the labour market. We need to increase the profile of health and social care and incentivise people to work within the sector.
Also, like many health and social care systems, Wakefield has an ageing workforce, with many staff considering retirement post-pandemic. A key challenge for the system is to persuade staff approaching retirement to remain in the workforce through more flexible working.
A recent BMA report on the Mental Health Workforce (8/2/22) highlights the lack of growth over the past 10 years. This is despite the fact that demand for mental health services is rising. Since 2016 there has been a 21% increase in the number of people who are in contact with mental health services. Recruitment into psychiatric specialties remains a key challenge with many psychiatric specialties facing under-recruitment. Workforce shortages in mental health are affecting staff workload, wellbeing, morale and the ability for staff to provide good quality of care.
We will support SWYPFT who are collaborating with 5 Yorkshire and Humber Trusts to deliver 137 mental health nurses sourced ethically in line with the World Health Organisation ethical recruitment standards. The Trust have secured year 2 funding from NHSEI to continue the International Nurse Recruitment (INR) programme. They are committed to recruiting a further 50 nurses who will be made up of mental health, learning disability, CAMHS and RGN nurses.
