Care recruitment “crisis” forces charity cutbacks

Thursday 07 March 2019

Chronic staffing shortages have prompted one of Jersey’s largest charities to cut a lifeline service offering families of disabled people a break from caring for them, warning of a sector-wide “crisis”.

Les Amis, a charity which supports islanders with learning disabilities, have said that recruitment shortages have left them with “no option” but to halt two of the main services they provide at the end of this month.

Warning that the entire care sector is facing a “crisis”, the charity have called for a “material increase in suitably qualified care professionals at all levels in Jersey” in order to ensure that care providers can operate all of their services in full.

It is the lack of qualified care professionals which has forced Les Amis to cease their Community Outreach and Short Breaks services, effective from 31 March.  

They say that by doing so, they will be able to focus entirely on their “core role as a provider of Residential, Respite and Domiciliary Support for those with learning disabilities and associated conditions", adding that they'll be working with the Health Department to make alternative arrangements.

Pictured: The charity, which has been running since 1975, have been forced to cut back on services due to chronic recruitment shortages (Les Amis).

According to their website, the charity’s outreach programme consists of supporting highly independent islanders with learning disabilities to participate in community activities and help them acquire the life skills they need to maintain their independence.

Les Amis’ short breaks service is a way of assisting the families of those with learning disabilities to support them at home and in the community. 

The decision to suspend the service came about as a result of an extraordinary Board of Directors meeting to reduce pressures on the charity.

Families have now been sent letters about the decision, with the charity telling its employees in a separate letter they were aware it was likely to cause them "great distress".

Pictured: The charity are aware the decision might cause families "great distress".

They stressed, however, that staff teams and Manager roles would "not be threatened" or suffer "any detrimental effect"

Commenting on the cutbacks, Shaun Findlay, Managing Director of Les Amis, said: “This isn’t a decision which we have made lightly, but it was necessary in order for us to maintain the high quality of care that we pride ourselves on. 

“We don’t want to let families down by trying to provide a service where we haven’t got the sufficient staff to deliver. We have to not only think of those that use our services, but also of our staff who have become increasingly stretched by shortages.” 

The charity have predicted that, although they are working with the Health Department to resolve this issue, “no long-term solution to enable full services to support those with care needs unless there is a material increase in suitability qualified care professionals at all levels in Jersey.”

Pictured: The charity's Managing Director Shaun Findlay has said that "this isn't a decision we have made lightly" but that the cutbacks are "necessary".

Cheryl Kenealy, Chairperson of the Jersey Care Federation, added: “It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Jersey is in this position as we were aware that the demands on the sector were going to increase, yet the Government’s approach has not changed. 

"Regulation of the industry has increased, which we welcomed, but there weren’t benefits or additional support to manage the impact. Now we are struggling to find individuals willing to enter the sector and it’s time we put solid plans in place to address the issue and protect our future position.  

“Attracting new employees into the care sector and providing a competitive wage must become a priority for the island, otherwise our most vulnerable people will suffer.”