The leader of a North Wales domiciliary care provider is warning that the worsening workforce crisis is threatening the future of services and could put lives at risk.
Kevin Edwards, managing director of Meddyg Care Group, said that, despite continued investment and expansion across the region, its ability to meet growing health needs is being undermined by severe staffing shortages following the scrapping of the Health and Care Worker Visa.
The decision removed a vital route for recruiting trained care professionals into domiciliary services and nursing homes, particularly in more-rural towns and villages where attracting staff is harder.
Over the past 25 years, Meddyg Care has become a major pillar of the regional health and care system, operating specialist nursing and dementia homes in Rhyl, Criccieth, and Porthmadog, alongside elderly day care and a large domiciliary care service supporting people to remain safely in their own homes across Gwynedd and beyond.
We are expanding and investing, but the loss of the Health and Care Worker Visa means providers cannot recruit the staff they need
The group now employs more than 330 staff, provides 170 nursing and dementia beds, and delivers over 6,000 hours of domiciliary care each month through its Help at Home service, which recently achieved an ‘Excellent’ inspection rating from Care Inspectorate Wales.
And, last autumn, the group opened a new 35-bed nursing home in Rhyl in response to high referral demand, easing pressure on hospitals and creating local employment.
But Edwards said the situation in rural Gwynedd s approaching breaking point with domiciliary care services close to collapse because of chronic staffing shortages.
“This is not a future problem, it’s happening now,” he added.
“We are expanding and investing, but the loss of the Health and Care Worker Visa means providers cannot recruit the staff they need.
“If domiciliary care disappears in Gwynedd, the knock-on effect will be huge for hospitals, for families, and for some of the most-vulnerable people in our communities.”
Meddyg Care currently employs more than 140 overseas staff, many from the Philippines, working alongside a largely Welsh and bilingual local workforce.
These staff play a crucial role in maintaining safe patient flow from hospital to home and preventing avoidable admissions.
But, under current immigration rules, many of these experienced professionals will be required to leave the UK from 2028, with no viable route to replace them.
If domiciliary care disappears in Gwynedd, the knock-on effect will be huge for hospitals, for families, and for some of the most-vulnerable people in our communities
“The idea that domiciliary care is a ‘low-skilled’ career is simply wrong,” said Meddyg Care’s director, Nicola Rutherford.
“This is complex, demanding work that requires judgement, organisation, emotional intelligence, and resilience.
“Without these staff, people do not leave hospital, families struggle alone and communities suffer.
“Rural areas like Gwynedd cannot replace this workforce locally because it simply doesn’t exist.”
The health consequences are already being felt as Meddyg Care says it could readily double its domiciliary care provision, but staffing shortages make this impossible.
“We want to keep growing, creating skilled jobs and supporting local communities,” Rutherford said.
“But without urgent intervention, domiciliary care – and the people who rely on it – are being put at real risk.”