Separately, the FoI to the Southern Health Trust reveals sickness levels of more than 41,000 days lost in one year – the equivalent of 113 staff off every day, and at a cost last year of £2,570,966.
Sickness absence meant that around 550 home care visits were missed last year.
The FoI also reveals the cost of home care services provided by the Southern Trust are double that of the independent sector.
The trust’s own internal home care unit cost is £39.74 per hour, compared to the independent sector rate of £21.25 per hour.
Shepherd described the rate and cost of sickness among staff in the Southern Trust as “shocking”.
She said the independent sector has proven to be more efficient and can do the job at half the cost compared to health trusts.
“At present the independent sector provides around 70% of social care with the health trusts delivering the rest,” said Shepherd.
“However, we know that a majority of social care staff within the Southern Trust are on zero hour contracts – if the independent sector was paid the same as their counterparts in health trusts we could deliver better across more areas,” she said.