The growth of the elderly population and the subsequent demand for carers may result in a shortage of skilled workers for domiciliary care jobs, academics and industry experts have warned.

A specially convened event at the University of Northampton last weekend saw experts from councils, the voluntary sector and social care academics meet to discuss how society will be changed by a 'greying' population. The Northampton Chronicle & Echo reports that delegates expressed concerns about finding workers to deliver specialist care to the elderly population as they become frail.

One problem highlighted was the age demographics of the existing workforce. Gerry McMurdie, a mental capacity implementation officer at Northamptonshire County Council, said that many of those currently in social care jobs will be retiring just as the elderly population begins to peak.

"There's nationally a big cohort of workers in the social care sector aged 45 to 55 who are predominantly part-time and female," she said. "In about 10 years time the demographic means there will be lots of those leaving at about the same time - but there may not be very many younger people coming in to fill that gap, and not with the experience and expertise to do the job well."

Other delegates expressed concerns that the ageing population could affect recruitment beyond the extra demand for workers to fill care home and support housing jobs.

"Having an older population means you have a smaller pool from which to grow your workforce and that certainly is a concern,'' concluded McMurdie.