'No easy answers' on Moray social care issues as staff working 60 hours a week

There are “no easy answers” to Moray’s social care staffing issues, according to council officers, with some staff working more than 60 hours a week.

The comment came from a council officer during a council audit and scrutiny meeting on Wednesday in response to a question from Councillor Sonya Warren about what is being done to help staff.

Officers said that staff recruitment within the care sector is a nationwide issue, but assured her that they were working to find a fair way of dividing the workload.

The level of pressure facing staff was revealed in an internal audit report about the complex and challenging needs service, released ahead of the meeting.

According to the report, some support workers are “regularly working in excess of 60 hours a week” with a total of £750,000 spent on overtime last year.

However, it also confirmed that the number of staff vacancies had been significantly reduced across several sites which could, “over time”, reduce the need for overworking.

At Wednesday’s meeting, one officer said a cutback on hours for staff currently working overtime was not an option due to the council’s legal obligation to care for those with a high level of need.

But, after praising the quality of care being provided, the officer acknowledged that is not a sustainable long-term option.

Councillor Sandy Keith (Elgin North, Labour) questioned why the council were planning on building more care facilities if they are struggling to staff the ones they currently have.

In response, council officers pointed out that creating larger care provisions would mean that staff could work under the same roof, allowing resources to be pulled together more easily.

Councillor John Divers (Elgin South, Labour) also argued that the council had found itself in this position due to not paying its staff appropriate wages.