West Midlands Care Industry Gathers To Discuss Pressing Issues

Representatives from the healthcare sector in the West Midlands came together this week for a  roundtable dinner anddiscussion on prominent issues within the industry.

The event was hosted by Yorkshire Bank as part of its Business Week programme of events. Professionals from the care industry were invited to explore various issues and provide insight into their own specific areas within the sector.  Guests ranged from healthcare operators, care home agents and solicitors.

The dinner forms part of a range of healthcare related events held on a quarterly basis and a variety of topics are always discussed. High on the agenda was Simon Stevens’, Chief Executive of NHS England, recent comment that the public health service is undergoing ‘the most sustained budget crunch since the second world war’.

However, despite the cuts indicated by the Chief Executive’s comments, recent research by Yorkshire Bank found healthcare operators are feeling confident about the future.  The study found 36% of healthcare businesses intend to recruit new employees in 2014/2015, and on average staff numbers are expected to grow by 3.3%.  This means that almost 40,000 new jobs could be created in the sector.

Other than recruitment, the main issues focused upon were the recent changes implemented by the Care Quality Commission, the future of care, and staff training.  The key message taken from the event was that operators must focus upon the quality of care provided above all other areas.

Richard Hornsey, Healthcare Business Development Manager, at Yorkshire Bank, hosted the event.  He said: “The discussion was an enlightening event that shared knowledge and viewpoints from a range of healthcare professionals across the sector.  A number of issues were discussed and as we have seen from previous events, quality of care remains the priority for healthcare businesses.

“It is clear that healthcare SMEs in particular are now planning for growth and their desire to invest in recruitment indicates confidence is building within the sector.

“As confidence continues to grow, we remain focused on supporting healthcare SMEs and investing in their growth ambitions.”