Capita has collaborated with Curam, a home care staff marketplace, to enhance access to affordable social care for local authorities and integrated care systems.
The partnership, officially launched on July 15, 2024, aims to facilitate the implementation of the Curam platform within local government. This enables local authorities to connect with CQC-regulated, vetted, and experienced carers.
According to Curam, there are approximately 152,000 unfilled care positions in England due to a shortage of skilled care professionals. By utilizing the Curam platform, recruitment overheads can be reduced, resulting in cost savings for local authority customers and higher pay for care professionals.
Ben Weatherall, co-founder and director at Curam, emphasized the increasing demand for care professionals in the UK due to the ageing population. He mentioned the critical shortage of skilled workers in the sector and the pressure it puts on social care departments in local governments.
Through this collaboration with Capita, local authorities can access a network of highly trained, vetted care professionals, leading to improved care provision, cost savings, and better retention rates.
Marianne Betts, managing director – education, health, and social care at Capita, highlighted the company’s focus on empowering individuals in need of care and support. She praised the Curam platform for offering choice, control, and quality care services provided by experienced and well-compensated carers.
Curam’s technology for sourcing and hiring staff is used by over 100 local authorities. It also offers training opportunities for care professionals to elevate caring as a sustainable career option.
In a recent development, Curam partnered with Doctify to incorporate patient-verified reviews in the carer selection process. Additionally, West Northamptonshire Council signed a five-year contract with System C to implement a cloud-based case management app for adult social care.
The Department of Health and Social Care also issued a tender in May 2024 to find a partner organization to support the digital skills development of the adult social care workforce.
