IMPROVEMENTS in healthcare over recent years mean that we can now expect to live longer than previous generations.

While this is obviously good news, it also brings pressures too. More resources are needed to care for us in our old age at a time when local authorities are struggling to make ends meet. Councils across England currently spend about £15bn from their own budgets on adult social care, with only an additional £6bn coming from central government.

The majority of councils, therefore, rely on a variety of care providers to deliver services but, with demand increasing, many are struggling to recruit and retain the staff required.

In County Durham, for example, there are more than 100 independent care providers whose teams of care workers support adults with social and physical activities including household tasks, personal care and attending appointments. But while adult health and social care roles make up a large proportion of the county’s employment opportunities, according to the independent charity Skills for Care, 10.3 per cent of adult social care roles are vacant in County Durham. This equates to about 1,400 vacancies at any one time. Furthermore, the average age of a care worker is 44, and 25 per cent of the workforce aged over 55 are due to reach retirement age in the next ten years.

That’s why we’ve launched the County Durham Care Academy, a new initiative to offer free training to care providers and those wishing to pursue a career in social care.

It’s part of a broader programme of work by the county council and its partners to support the independent care sector in our area.

The academy aims to improve skills and resilience, offering support across a range of areas including recruitment and retention of staff, training, technology and service delivery.

By ensuring that an adequate supply of high-quality care services is available to support our communities, we can help people continue to live independently in their own homes and reduce pressure on our hospitals. But that’s not all, the academy gives those working in social care the chance to improve their skills and experience and even offers a way into what can be a rewarding and incredibly worthwhile career.

Councillor Simon Henig is leader of Durham County Council