Brexit: implications for adult social care

We’ve been pulling together the analysis of what the impact of Brexit on the UK’s adult social care sector vote is likely to be.

The most worrying aspect is the impact on recruitment where 13.8% of direct workers in Oxfordshire are non-British EEA citizens. We hear that some care staff are choosing NHS and other government organisations above the PIV sector, because they ‘feel it’s safer’; judging by a recent internal Council memo to non-British EEA citizens, it’s no safer ‘inside’ than ‘outside’. 1 in 4 of our Registered Nurses in County are also non-British EEA. Even a small impact on recruitment will have a major impact on a sector that is at tipping point for sustainability.

However, there are a range of other issues to consider, some of which may provide some weight on the other side of the argument as our Brexit slideset shows, though the balance at the moment is weighted strongly on the negative side.

We maintain that the decision to leave the EU will have a major impact on our ability to care for vulnerable and older people unless we have a radical change in the way services are provided and make better use of our communities.