Hartlepool care homes being offered extra training to avoid staffing crisis after Covid jab directive

It comes after the Government has made it mandatory care home workers to be double vaccinated against Covid-19 from last Thursday (November 11).

An impact assessment by the Department for Health and Social Care has predicted 35,000 care workers would quit as a result of not wanting to get the jab.

To help address the issue, care homes across Hartlepool and the wider Tees Valley have embarked on enhanced health and social care training programmes to retain and upskill existing staff and encourage potential new workers.

Realise, one of the UK’s leading training providers, is leading the training programme for current and new care home workers after being awarded the local contract by Tees Valley Combined Authority.

A number of homes in the region have already taken up the opportunity and Ross Aylward, performance manager at Realise and responsible for delivering the Tees Valley programme, is expecting that to increase in the coming weeks.

He said: “Right across the UK, this is an extremely uncertain and difficult time for care homes and the staff working in them.

“There was already a shortage of workers in the sector and now a lot of experienced staff who have declined the offer of a vaccination are finding themselves out of work, placing extra pressure on care settings.

“Care homes were already stretched to the limits before mandatory vaccinations were introduced and now that staffing crisis is about to grow further.”

Around 30 workers from several settings are currently taking their qualifications and Realise is in talks with a with a number of care homes across the region.

"These learners are already employed in the care sector and are looking for additional qualifications to help them progress,” he said.

“We are anticipating a big influx of new staff into care homes in Tees Valley and these qualifications can also be beneficial for those new starters to build their knowledge and experience.”

It is offering a range of courses and qualifications including Level 2 and Level 3 Diplomas in Adult Care, as well as a course designed for people looking to work in care homes for the first time.

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