NHS leaders have written to the Prime Minister calling for a social care workforce plan to boost recruitment and retention in the social care sector.

The letter from the NHS Confederation welcomed the NHS workforce plan which was published on Friday.

However, it stressed that many of the challenges facing the NHS cannot be solved without addressing the recruitment and retention issue affecting the social care sector.

The letter read: ‘Our motivation in seeking your urgent intervention is because our members know that social care provision is essential to the communities we serve, and because we also know that the risks faced by our colleagues in relation to their workforce are profound.’

A workforce plan for social care would raise the status of careers in all social care settings, and transform staff experience, career development and productivity, according to the letter.

There would also be investment in pay and conditions, and better service integration between social care and health.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘Our recent “Next Steps to Put People at the Heart of Care” plan puts the workforce at the centre, with £250m for skills, training and career development. This is part of an overall investment of £700m in adult social care reform.

‘We have also made up to £7.5bn available in additional funding to support adult social care and discharge over the next two years - putting the system on a stronger financial footing and helping local authorities address waiting lists, low fee rates, and workforce pressures.’

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