Care Workforce Wellbeing: Engagement Report 2023

Towards the end of 2021, in response to some concerns raised about the treatment of frontline staff in the care sector in Kingston, the Royal Borough of Kingston (RBK) Quality Assurance Team ran a wellbeing survey for care workers, including Home Care, Care Home, and Voluntary Sector organisations. 

RBK contracted Healthwatch Kingston to provide a retrospective engagement exercise with care workers about their wellbeing in the workplace during 2021-22 and to report anonymised findings and learning from this engagement to RBK. Healthwatch Kingston co-produced a care workforce wellbeing survey with care workforce managers, paid carers, and other care staff. 

They surveyed 102 care workers. 

13 recommendations have been made following this research, including 

1. RBK (The Council) develop a care worker wellbeing checklist for use during RBK quality assurance visits to care homes to help consistently monitor workforce satisfaction and gather insights. 
2. provision of care workforce counselling and support is included in future service specifications and that providers report uptake by their staff of this offer in routine contract monitoring and / or during RBK quality assurance visits to care homes.
3. Recommend care providers explore ways to address mental health stigma, whether real or perceived, and how to establish safe spaces for open conversations about mental health issues within the care workplace.