With the skills shortage still very much apparent in the care industry, sourcing the best candidates to help lessen the pressure on current staff is the most significant recruitment challenge facing care providers, who often struggle to attract and engage the right people to fill vacancies.With this issue hindering HR professionals within the care industry, they are unable to offer additional support and help to an already overstretched team of care staff. The result is high levels of staff absence due to stress and fatigue.

Stephen Wilson, director of the specialist care industry recruitment software Novacare | recruit says, “Employees are any care provider’s best asset but more must be done to help support those already working in the industry while also taking steps to address the skills shortage and attract fresh talent to the sector.

“Care providers also need to be able to gain instant access to the best quality care candidates to help bridge the gap and provide temporary and permanent solutions to workforce shortfalls.

“Our care recruitment software offers 24/7 access to a regularly updated talent pool, the ability to interview via Skype or Facebook and an easy recruitment process which adheres to current UK legislation. We’re here to help care providers lessen the strain on their existing team, but more still needs to be done to support individuals currently working in care.”

Calls have been made to help protect the wellbeing and mental health for care industry workers, and a review of pay rates should be high on the agenda in order for professions in the care sector to appeal to more people.

With applications for care roles plummeting, an injection of greater staff resources is imperative to ensure the health of care staff and to allow them to continue providing the best possible care to residents.