The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has reported an improvement in the state of oral health care in care homes in England. The health and social care watchdog has published a follow-up to their first review of oral health in care homes, carried out in 2019, which reveals that a number of recommendations have been...
Skills for Care are #CelebratingSocialCare this April
This month, we’re joining Skills for Care in Celebrating Social Care and recognising the vital work carried out by the sector. The national workforce development charity is celebrating the remarkable people who work in social care and is encouraging others to join in their celebrations throughout April. They want to shine the spotlight on...
New framework for supporting LGBTQ+ people in later life
Skills for Care have released a new learning framework to help care workers support LGBTQ+ people in later life. Commissioned and funded by Skills for Care, the new framework has been developed by the “innovative partnership” of Dr Trish Hafford-Letchfield of the University of Strathclyde and the Pride in Ageing programme at the LGBT...
How First Response Training is responding to the latest vaccination requirements
National workplace training provider, First Response Training (FRT), has taken decisive steps to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its staff, clients, learners and they people they support. The leading training provider, which works with hundreds of local and national health and social care providers on a regular basis, has confirmed that all...
Annual social care report reveals impact of pandemic
The latest report into adult social care serves as a “stark reminder” that sector bosses face “significant recruitment challenges” with vacancy rates steadily rising since the pandemic. Skills for Care have published their annual report on ‘The State of the adult social care sector and workforce in England.’ The report, which is based on...
Skills for Care launch Day of Remembrance and Reflection
Skills for Care have joined with 20 other social care bodies in England to launch the new Social Care Day of Remembrance and Reflection. Supported by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Minister of State for Social Care, Helen Whately, the memorial day will honour the work of the adult social...
Social care reforms to be announced
The Prime Minister is set to announce long-awaited reforms to the social care system in England today (Tuesday 7th September 2021). Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to present his plans to reform social care in England to MPs and will also announce extra funds to help the NHS deal with the Covid-19 pandemic....
Self-isolation exemption for care staff poses ‘significant risks’
The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) has warned that a new exemption from self-isolation rules for double-jabbed care staff poses “very significant risks.” In a press release, the directors’ body said the policy shift, which means that frontline adult social care staff who have received two doses of a coronavirus vaccine...
Skills for Care launch new strategy for ‘widescale change’
Skills for Care have launched their new three-year strategy today (Wednesday 4th August 2021), which sets out their future direction as they support the social care sector to “drive forward widescale change,” and establish a national career pathway. The independent workforce development charity has developed the new strategy to help it work towards its...
CQC publishes data showing Covid-19 death notifications
The Care Quality Commission has praised the efforts of care staff during the pandemic as it published data showing death notifications involving Covid-19 received from individual care homes over the past 12 months. The CQC’s latest Insight Report has also drawn on this data to establish key points and provides crucial context to help...
CQC focuses on learning disability care during the pandemic
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has released its latest insight report, which focuses on care provided for people with a learning disability during the Covid-19 pandemic. Ahead of the publication of their provider collaboration review (PCR) on people with a learning disability living in the community this month (July 2021), England’s care watchdog has...
Adult social care sector receives last minute funding boost
The government have announced an extra £250 million worth of Covid funding for adult social care, just three days before existing funds were due to run out. The funds will be used to help care providers to maintain sufficient staffing levels while controlling Covid-19 infections, and to fund testing, in line with the latest...
Skills for Care offers guidance on vaccination for care workers
Skills for Care is providing resources to help employers in the care sector to engage with their workers and provide guidance about wellbeing and Covid-19 vaccinations. It comes as the government announced that they are planning to bring forward regulations that will make Covid-19 vaccination a condition of employment for those working in CQC-regulated...
New awards for outstanding practice in adult social care
New awards are being launched to recognise outstanding contributions in adult social care. The Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, Professor Deborah Sturdy, has announced new gold and silver awards to acknowledge the exceptional efforts of the social care workforce in England and their range of skills, expertise and compassion. The awards are the...
New Skills for Care partnership to support managers
Skills for Care has announced that it has partnered with Quality Compliance Systems (QCS) to better support managers in adult social care. The two organisations have teamed up to better support managers to develop best practice and knowledge, remain up to date with sector developments and share ideas with their peers. QCS are a...