Scottish care homes forced to pay £1,000 a shift for agency nurses

Some care homes in Scotland are being forced to pay as much as £1,000 per shift for agency nurses, due to nearly a third of nursing posts being vacant, according to a new report.

The research carried out by Scottish Care, which represents independent care providers, highlights the problems facing care homes offering nursing care, with the biggest challenge being the insufficient supply of nurses.

Dr Donald Macaskill, chief executive of Scottish Care, revealed that nearly a third of nursing posts are currently vacant, causing care home operators to increasingly rely on agencies to fill their nursing rotas at an average cost of £434-per-shift, with some agencies charging up to £1000-per-shift.

Many care homes are at risk of closing

He said: “Last year we reported that we were facing significant challenges in relation to the shortage of nurses working in our care homes.

“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. Urgent short-term measures are needed, and require us to work with Scottish Government and other partners, to find solutions to this challenge.”

The report, Independent Sector Nursing Data 2017, found there has been a 44 per cent increase in the number of nurses registered with nurse agencies in 2014-2016, with average vacancy levels across the sector as high as 31 per cent. This is up from 28 per cent in 2016.

Half of Scottish nurses middle-aged or approaching retirement

It also revealed worryingly that the situation is set to get worse with 64 per cent of nurses in care homes in Scotland over the age of 45.

Fifty-four per cent of providers think it is harder this year than last year.

Dr Macaskill said the report “raises questions about whether current student nurse intake levels are sufficient”.

He added: “The report also found that there has been a huge increase in turnover – standing at 46 per cent in the last year compared to 29 per cent the year before. Coupled with the already negative impacts of Brexit there are growing pressures on our abilities to staff nursing posts now and into the future. Unless we are to be faced with more and more people stuck in hospital we need to seriously invest in nursing provision in Scotland’s care home sector.

“Whilst the general shortage of nurses is a serious issue, we also need to look at why many people, nurses and other professions, are not choosing to work in care homes. We need to attract more people to work in the social care sector and articulate the many benefits of doing so.

“We need to work with a range of people and organisations to make social care an attractive career path, and also to make sure people understand what brilliant places care homes can be to live and work in. We need to stop talking down care homes and start celebrating them.”

Scottish Government claims 'significant progress' has been made

In response to the report, a Scottish Government spokesman said: "The Scottish Government continues to work with stakeholders, including Scottish Care, on recommendations from Scottish Care's Voices from the Nursing Front Line report.

"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. To meet projected requirements, we are creating an estimated 2,600 extra training places over the next four years as part of a wider package to recruit newly qualified nurses and midwives and to retain existing nurses."

Nurses can search for care home nursing jobs here.

Care providers looking to fill nursing vacancies can use carehome.co.uk's CV Search tool which notifies care homes as soon as a new candidate is on the hunt for a nursing job.