Jayne Stutt, chief people officer at Priory, said: “We welcome the latest Skills for Care workforce supply and demands trends report which shows that vacancy rates across the adult social care sector have returned to pre-Covid levels, and that the sector has continued to grow despite a drop in international recruitment.
“However, as is highlighted, the vacancy rate nationally is still three times higher than the wider economy, so it is right to outline the need to invest in stable recruitment and retention to build resilience – including development opportunities, improving the quality of roles and supporting positive cultures, all of which we have prioritised at Priory and are seeing the positive effects of.
“As outlined in our quality account for 2024 to 2025, we have reduced staff turnover across adult care by more than 45% since 2022 and currently have 89% of adult care services rated ‘Good’ or better by independent regulators.
“This has been achieved through a clear focus on:
Workforce stability and belonging – 83% of colleagues say they feel they can be their authentic selves at work
Leadership at local level – managers playing a critical role in culture and quality
Learning and development – including positive behaviour support, outcomes training and peer review programmes
Staff voice – 83% of adult care colleagues saying they feel confident to speak up when something is not right.
“We’re also committed to building care as a long-term, professional career and not just a job. Priory offers structured training routes, access to care apprenticeships and the opportunity to progress from entry-level roles into leadership – with many of our managers and senior staff beginning their careers on the frontline.
“At a time when recruitment remains a challenge – as the report outlines, the sector is likely to need another 470,000 posts by 2040 – retention is critical. Inclusive, values-led workplaces can reduce reliance on international recruitment while building long-term capacity and quality.
“We continue to support Skills for Care’s drive to ensure the social care workforce is seen as a critical part of the national infrastructure and will continue working with system partners to create safe, rewarding and resilient services for the future.”
Priory is the UK’s largest independent provider of mental health, addiction and working-age adult social care services. The organisation supports 26,000 people a year across 280 sites.