London’s employment growth in health and social care employment between 2002 and 2012 will be the third highest in relative terms, but its total share of employment is forecast to stay the lowest in England. In terms of occupations, employment levels of health and social welfare associate professionals are projected to rise much higher in London than in other parts of the country.

Social services departments in London have the highest vacancy rates in England (nearly 20% compared to 11% nationally), but this figure varies substantially within the local authority areas in London (from 8% to 39%). The highest vacancy rates were reported for occupational therapists (34%), care staff for children’s homes (27%), managers and supervisors in children’s homes (29%) and field social workers (23%). These figures are about twice as high compared to the whole of England, except for occupational therapists. There is also some evidence that a number of teams have vacancy rates between 25 to 40%. In contrast, survey data for the independent sector suggest that vacancy rates in London for comparable occupational groups are much lower than in the statutory sector and that they do not vary dramatically from those nationally. Turnover rates may even be lower in London, except for domiciliary care.

There are fears that the planned expansion of the health care workforce might worsen the situation in social care, particularly in care management and occupational therapy where staff are already in short supply.

Turnover rates, however, are only slightly higher than compared to the whole of England (15% versus 13%). Yet there are successes. A borough in east London has reduced its high vacancy rates for social care workers substantially and for occupational therapists completely by recruiting local ethnic minority people via work-based training programmes or secondments.

Source: Working Futures 2004, Skills in England 2003, Eborall 2003a and Douglas 2002