Developed by the UK government in partnership with Skills for Care, the new Care Workforce Pathway is a framework which outlines the knowledge, skills, values and behaviours required of people working in adult social care services. Co-developed by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Skills for Care, representatives from the adult social...
Skills for Care offer guide to new Social Care Certificate qualification
Skills for Care have published a new webpage, specification and FAQ guide to the new Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate qualification. The new Social Care Certificate qualification, which is due to launch in June of this year, is based on the existing Care Certificate standards. The specification for it has been developed by...
One million people complete Oliver McGowan eLearning
Over one million people have now completed the e-learning segment of the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism. The “significant milestone” comes one year after the Oliver McGowan e-learning package was launched and seven years after Oliver’s tragic death in November 2016. The e-learning programme, which forms the first part of...
Training key to retaining care staff
Skills for Care has published its annual report into the state of the adult social care sector, and it reveals key factors for retaining care staff, including access to training and development. The annual State of the Adult Social Care Sector and Workforce in England report covers the period from April 2022 to March...
Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training ‘vitally important’
NHS England have developed a powerful video animation to help the health and social care workforce understand the importance of the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training package. It has been made available as the Department of Health and Social Care runs a consultation on its draft code of practice for the training. The Oliver McGowan...
Annual report shows social care workforce is growing again
Skills for Care have published their annual report into the state of the adult social care workforce in England, and it reveals that it has started growing again but will continue to face challenges posed by an ageing population. The Size and Structure of the Adult Social Care Sector and Workforce in England report...
New CQC public engagement strategy
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published its new public engagement strategy setting out how it will listen, inform and involve people in its work. Supporting the organisational strategy previously published by the regulator in 2021, the new strategy also sets out how the CQC will work in partnership with organisations that represent people....
New guiding principles for delegated healthcare tasks
Skills for Care has published new guiding principles and supporting resources for the completion of delegated healthcare tasks. The workforce development charity for adult social care has worked with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and other partners to co-develop the voluntary guiding principles. The principles, which will support person-centred, safe and...
CQC says oral health care has improved in care homes
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...
Six figure fine for health board that failed to follow safe working practices
A health board has been fined six figures after a patient died while being treated in hospital as a result of care that fell “below the required standards.” NHS Highland was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for failing to follow safe working practices in relation to the death of 78-year-old Colin...
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...
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...
Half of frontline workers say job pressures are ‘out of control’
An 18-month long study into wellbeing within the emergency services has found that frontline healthcare workers are exhausted and at high risk of experiencing mental health disorders and burnout. The detailed report from mental health digital platform 87percent.co.uk, entitled The State of Mental Wellbeing on the Frontline, reveals that almost 1 in 2 (49%)...