Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on (a) staffing levels and (b) recruitment of EU nationals within the social care sector of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

The Government does not anticipate leaving the European Union without a deal and remains committed to reaching a deal before the 29 March 2019. We also recognise the importance of ensuring that the social care system has the nurses, carers and other health professionals that it needs. The EU workforce in the social care sector is absolutely essential to its proper functioning and we deeply care about those who provide the vital care services that patients expect and deserve.

It is likely, however, that there will be some decrease in the flow of so-called lower skilled workers from abroad. In recognition of this, on 12 February the Government launched a new national adult social care recruitment campaign. The campaign, ‘Every Day is Different’ showcases how rewarding and varied social care careers can be, with opportunities for progression and professional development. The campaign will run across February and March and raise the image and profile of the sector and encourage people with the right values to apply for current vacancies. The Government also continues to work with its delivery partner Skills for Care to provide a range of resources and practical toolkits for providers to help attract, train and retain staff.