How can we alleviate the impact of skills shortages on patient care?
Sadly, the majority of healthcare workers (89.7%) believe that the widening skills gap is reducing levels of patient care across the UK. This is according to a survey conducted by CV-Library, amongst the nation’s healthcare professionals, which found that many believe that care for the elderly, nursing homes and mental health are the areas most affected.
It is currently a very turbulent time for the industry, and in order to future-proof the nation’s care offerings, something has to be done to alleviate some of the pressure that is being placed on existing professionals, and to entice skilled workers into the sector. There are a number of ways in which this can be done and I have outlined these in more detail, below.
Attracting talented new recruits
One of the main challenges that the healthcare industry is facing is attracting talented new recruits, especially with recent political events creating uncertainty in the sector. Not only this, but the widening skills gap continues to hinder the process. Therefore it’s important that healthcare organisations focus on their recruitment drives and making their recruitment strategy as effective as possible.
The best way to do this is by keeping the strategy as short and simple as possible. Engaging with candidates throughout the recruitment process is vital, otherwise you run the risk of them losing interest and moving on to better opportunities. Furthermore, offering fair packages is essential. Care professionals agreed that better contracts (43.9%) higher salaries (34.4%) and more workplace perks (33.3%) are effective ways to entice fresh talent into the industry.
Making the most of existing talent
Increasing the level of patient care and bridging the gap is not all about new recruits, however, it’s also about making the most of the existing workforce. In fact, over a third of healthcare workers (34.4%) don’t believe that enough is being done to make the most of the existing talent in the industry. Utilising the current workers is a positive step towards relieving some of the tension currently being felt.
By offering new opportunities for training, professionals who already have a good knowledge of the sector can upskill and progress into higher roles. Better sharing out of responsibilities will also help to take the strain off of those picking up the slack. Furthermore, retraining staff can begin to bridge the gap, while at the same time boosting employee morale!
Reducing stress levels
Unfortunately, the existing workforce is facing increasing levels of stress and this needs to be reduced in order to create a stronger workforce. Many professionals are being forced to work longer hours, with a third (32%) working between 46 to 50 hours a week, and as many as one in four working over 50 hours a week! For a sector that cannot afford to lose talented workers, it’s extremely concerning to learnt that a quarter (23.8%) have admitted to looking for a new job as a result of workplace stress. In fact, recent news revealed that many healthcare workers are opting to work in supermarkets to avoid the strain of the industry.
With this in mind, it’s vital that employers in the sector are recognising signs of stress amongst their staff and taking the necessary steps to address this. Open communication, opportunities for training and fair contracts can all be positive approaches to combating anxiety amongst healthcare professionals.
It’s clear from our findings that there is several important processes that need to be taken into consideration. Recruitment efforts need to be streamlined, and employers need to work to reduce stress levels amongst their employees so they can begin utilising the existing workforce more effectively. Hopefully, by implementing these steps, organisations in the healthcare sector can strengthen their workforce, begin bridging the skills gap and improve levels of patient care.