England’s social care workforce shrinks for first time in 10 years

​Experts say loss of 50,000 workers exposes ‘absolute crisis’ facing system still reeling from impact of Covid and BrexitThe social care workforce has shrunk for the first time in almost a decade despite rising demand and bed congestion in hospitals fuelled by a lack of care places.England is projected to need close to 500,000 more care staff by the middle of the next decade, but last year there was a net fall in the workforce of 50,000 people, leaving about 165,000 jobs vacant, according to new figures from Skills for Care. Continue reading…