Almost 4,000 homecare workers are to receive payments of up to £500 each in a bid to stop them from leaving the profession, as Derbyshire struggles with severe staffing shortages in the care sector.

Funding of £2.1 million has been provided to Derbyshire County Council by NHS Derby and Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group and is to be split between 3,900 workers in the private, voluntary and independent sector – missing out directly-employed council staff.

A spokesman for the authority explained the sweetener had not been extended to direct council staff as the authority’s pay policies do not allow retention payments to be made to its workforce.

A report into the matter presented to Cabinet last week (10 February) acknowledged this move could potentially damage ‘morale’ among its employees, many of whom have been working excess hours recently as low staffing problems persist across the county.

It stated any such issues would be managed through ‘appropriate communications and engagement with internal employees’.

The spokesman stated: “The NHS provided funding for retention payments to home care staff in Derbyshire, which we’ve transferred to local private, independent and voluntary sector home care agencies.

“We employ care workers in a number of roles and settings across Derbyshire who have all worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic caring for our residents. 

“We are incredibly thankful and grateful for all they’ve done.”

The county is continuing a rolling recruitment process for care workers, however union leaders and councillors have raised concerns over low pay and working conditions in the sector, citing them as reasons for the lack of new employee uptake.

In January, the council put out an appeal to its 30,000 employees for volunteers to help out in its care homes as its staffing levels reached critical lows as a result of the Omicron variant of Covid.

The spokesman said: ““Staffing capacity continues to be a challenge for the council’s adult social care department, as it is across the whole health and social care system. 

“So far we’ve been able to manage by using staff where they are most needed, including staff doing additional hours.

“We’re extremely grateful to everyone who volunteered and this remains an option open to us in the future should the need arise.”

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