Norfolk care home facing recruitment crisis as vacancies attract zero applicants

The boss of a care home in West Norfolk says her staff are at "breaking point" because no new candidates are applying for jobs.

Terenia Skevington, Operations Director for Armscare Limited, told ITV News Anglia most staff at Docking House near Hunstanton have been left with no choice but to work extra hours for months on end.

Ms Skevington said that the home had tried everything to attract new recruits, but despite their efforts, no applicants have come forward for any of the vacancies.

"Staff are at breaking point, they've been completing long hours for many, many months now," she said.

"We've got nobody wanting to come across from Europe anymore, we've tried kickstart programmes with the government, apprenticeships as well."

Ms Skevington added that the lack of interest was "heartbreaking" and people who work in the sector "can get a lot of enjoyment out of it."

The government recently committed to spending £162.5m to help hire thousands of new care workers, with many homes up and down the country finding it increasingly difficult to bring fresh blood in.

A recent report from the Care Quality Commission warned that many workers are turning their back on the profession to look for better paid jobs elsewhere.

The requirement for all workers to be vaccinated in order to keep their jobs has also put added strain on the sector.