Published: Friday, 6th November, 2009 11:34am

Social workers shortage predicted

THE BORDERS needs to recruit up to 800 new social workers if it is to cope with population changes in the region.

In his annual report, Director of Social Work Andrew Lowe has warned that 27% more social workers are needed across Scotland by 2017 if the department is to keep up with population increases.

This translates as approximately 500-700 full-time social workers in the Borders, but the actual figure is likely to be closer to 800 as more people choose to work part-time hours.

The news comes after a report published last month suggests that the local health care and social sector are likely to be put under pressure

in the coming years as the elderly population in the Borders grows by up to 40%.

Coupled with an increase in the area's population overall expected to top 15% in the next 20 years, there are fears that social work resources may be stretched even further.

Scottish Borders Council discuss how to recruit more social workers to the area to tackle the problem at a meeting next month.

However, local councillor Catriona Bhatia doesn't think there will be a problem attracting more social workers to the area.

"We've always been able to attract social workers to the Borders because we've improved the terms and conditions on which they are employed and obviously we think the Borders is a good place to work.

"It does depend on how many social workers are being trained and coming through the university system, so it's clearly going to be challenging because other local authorities will have the same issues and we will be competing for the same workforce.

"We just have to make sure that we offer the right working conditions and I'm sure that we will have no problem in recruiting the number of social workers needed."