The Recruitment Problem in Health & Social Care Isn’t Just Finding People

It’s finding the right people — and giving them a reason to stay.

There is a familiar conversation happening across Health & Social Care.

“We have vacancies.”

“We can't find enough candidates.”

“The good candidates are already working somewhere else.”

“We need someone urgently.”

And while these challenges are very real, perhaps we need to look at the recruitment problem differently.

Because the UK doesn't simply have a shortage of people.

It has a shortage of the right people, in the right roles, with the right values — and a recruitment process that can identify them.

The numbers tell an important story

The latest figures from Skills for Care show that adult social care in England has made genuine progress.

The vacancy rate fell to 6.2% in 2025/26, its lowest level in a decade, representing around 96,000 vacant posts. That's a significant improvement and something the sector should recognise.

But here's the important part:

Vacancies are still around three times higher than in the wider economy.

And recruitment isn't the only challenge.

Staff turnover remains significant. In 2024/25, the overall turnover rate across adult social care was 23.1%, representing approximately 335,000 leavers. For care workers specifically, turnover was 29.7%.

So simply filling a vacancy isn't enough.

The real question is:

Will the person still be there in 12 months?

The cost of getting recruitment wrong

A vacancy creates pressure.

A poor appointment can create even more.

When the wrong person joins a care organisation, the consequences can extend far beyond the recruitment process.

It can mean:

• Another vacancy six months later.

• Additional recruitment costs.

• More pressure on existing employees.

• Increased reliance on temporary staffing.

• Disruption to teams.

• Loss of experience.

• Reduced continuity for the people receiving care.

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And perhaps most importantly, it can affect the culture of the entire service.

That's why recruitment in Health & Social Care cannot simply be about finding someone who can do the job.

They need to want to do the job.

And they need to want to do it with you.

Candidates are choosing employers too

Recruitment is no longer a one-way process.

Employers assess candidates.

Candidates assess employers.

And today's professionals are asking questions that go beyond salary.

They want to know:

Will I be supported?

Is there somewhere to progress?

Will my work be valued?

Do I believe in what this organisation does?

Will I have a good manager?

Will I have a sustainable workload?

Can I see myself staying here?

For Health & Social Care providers, these questions matter enormously.

Because an organisation can offer the perfect job description, but if the reality doesn't match the promise, retention will always be difficult.

Recruitment starts before the vacancy

One of the biggest mistakes organisations can make is waiting until someone resigns before thinking about recruitment.

By that point, the pressure has already started.

The strongest organisations are building talent pipelines before they need them.

They're developing relationships with candidates.

They're understanding what motivates their workforce.

They're investing in their employer reputation.

And they're working with recruitment partners who understand their organisation rather than simply sending CVs.

This is where specialist recruitment makes a difference.

At OakGar Recruitment, we don't believe in treating every vacancy the same.

A Registered Manager isn't simply a Registered Manager.

A Deputy Manager isn't simply a Deputy Manager.

And a support worker isn't simply a support worker.

Every organisation has its own culture, expectations, leadership style and approach to care.

The right candidate isn't necessarily the person with the longest CV.

It's the person whose experience, values, personality and ambitions align with the organisation.

The best recruitment is about the match

Skills matter.

Experience matters.

Qualifications matter.

But fit matters too.

A candidate can tick every box on a job description and still be completely wrong for an organisation.

Equally, someone who doesn't have every desirable quality on paper may have the values, resilience and potential to become an exceptional member of the team.

That's why conversations matter.

Understanding the candidate matters.

Understanding the employer matters.

And understanding the realities of the role matters.

At OakGar, we believe this is what specialist recruitment should look like.

Not:

“Here's a CV. Can you interview them?”

But:

“We've taken the time to understand what you need. Here's why we believe this person could genuinely be right for you.”

And the workforce challenge isn't going away

Even with vacancy rates improving, Skills for Care estimates that the sector will need around 470,000 additional posts by 2040 to meet the expected growth in demand.

That means recruitment cannot be treated as a short-term problem.

The organisations that succeed will be the ones thinking about workforce planning now.

They'll ask:

Who do we need?

Where will we find them?

Why would they choose us?

What will make them stay?

And perhaps the most important question:

What kind of organisation do we need to become to attract exceptional people?

At OakGar, we believe great recruitment starts with understanding people

We're proud to work within Health & Social Care because we understand that the work our candidates do has a real impact on people's lives.

That means recruitment has to be about more than filling a vacancy.

It's about building teams.

Strengthening services.

Supporting leaders.

And ultimately helping organisations provide the quality of care that people deserve.

The recruitment landscape is changing.

The organisations that recognise this—and adapt—will be the ones best positioned to build strong, stable teams for the future.

Because when it comes to Health & Social Care:

Finding someone is recruitment.

Finding the right person is OakGar.

Are you struggling to find the right people for your Health & Social Care service?

OakGar Recruitment works with organisations across the UK to identify and attract high-quality permanent professionals who are the right fit for their roles, teams and culture.

Let's talk about your next hire.