Partners In Care

Please see to the right (under document downloads) a slightly revised template for Workforce Planning for User Led Organisations developed by T Blackmore – Disability Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, J Waddington-Jones – DOTS CIC and V McCririck – Workforce Adviser.

This document sets out a Template for Workforce Planning for User Led Organisations (and other organisations in the social purpose sector), based on the experience of two ULOs in the South West who successfully bid for workforce capacity building funding from the Department of Health – South West: Disability Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Ltd, and DOTS Disability CIC/Access Dorset. The template is based on their experience of applying the Skills for Health Six Step Methodology to Integrated Workforce Planning (2008).

14 December 2011

Have you got a concern about something you’ve seen or experienced at your place of work? We have published a quick guide on whistleblowing to help you decide what to do next and how you can tell us about it.

Our quick guide has been written for health and care professionals that need to raise a concern about their workplace. It gives you helpful advice on speaking out about poor care and what protection you will have from the law if you do.

Download the quick guide to the right to find out more about whistleblowing and what happens after you contact us.

Those of you who attended the Innovations in Care conference in the summer will remember the inspiring presentation by Leen Stevens from the Dignity in Care project. She talked about the sTimul programme where people from the care sector can experience what it is like to be cared for. The aim of the project is to learn first-hand how you can improve the way that you deliver care to others. There is a now an exciting opportunity for you to attend one of the sTimul projects in the Netherlands or Belgium in 2012 and 2013.

More information will follow shortly, but in the meantime if you would like to find out more please contact Katie Bennett at katie@picbdp.co.uk

Following the Panorama programme on scenes of abuse in a hospital for vulnerable adults near Bristol, the Bournemouth & Poole Safeguarding Adults Board members have been discussing the actions needed to ensure this does not happen in our area. I am sure you share our concerns.

Please read the letter, leaflet and poster which I hope will support you in encouraging your staff to be aware and to report any concerns. (Documents can be downloaded to the right of this article)

Jane Ashman Independent Chair Bournemouth & Poole Safeguarding Adults Board

CQC have informed us of the following:

Two of our inspectors have reported that there are bogus CQC inspectors making visits to homes in the South East.

The examples we have so far are in Surrey and Hampshire. Both inspectors report that homes they were visiting have been phoned by the police advising them to be careful of bogus inspectors. Apparently the 'inspectors' ask to see staff files and then leave with personal information.

The police in Hampshire say that the caller's identification states Care Standards Agency, not CQC.

If you have any concerns about visits taking place within your area, please contact your compliance Manager at Care Quality Commission

Bournemouth & Poole area

Contact: Sally Murphy
Mobile: 07789 875 020
Business line: 01202 849028
Email: Sally Murphy

Dorset area

Contact: Joyce Frederick
Mobile : 07900 915 214
Business line: 01305 251 708
Email: Joyce Frederick

Sally or Joyce will be able to check the Inspectors calendar to verify which services are being visited by her team.

CQC Article - 13th October 2011

This review was a targeted inspection programme of NHS hospitals. It looked at whether older people are treated with respect and whether they get food and drink that meets their needs.

Our findings

Of the 100 hospitals we inspected, we found that:

45 hospitals met both standards (they were ‘fully compliant’).

35 met both standards but needed to improve in one or both (they were ‘fully compliant, with improvements suggested’).

20 hospitals did not meet one or both standards (they were ‘non-compliant, with improvements required’).

Where we did find problems, some of the important issues were:

• patients’ privacy not being respected – for example, curtains and screens not being closed properly.

• call bells being put out of patients’ reach, or not answered soon enough. staff speaking to patients in a dismissive or disrespectful way.

• patients not being given the help they needed to eat.

• patients being interrupted during meals and having to leave their food unfinished.

To read more about the review click here.

Skills for Care news article 20th October 2011

Skills for Care has refreshed its innovative career pathways e-tool to include new qualifications on the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) and additional case studies.

The interactive e-tool has been created to help make working in social care not just a good job, but a great career. It is designed for people considering starting in social care and for those already working in the sector keen to see what career development opportunities are open to them.

The updated interactive pages use text and video to explain 'what is social care?', 'starting in social care' and 'developing your career'.

Under 'developing your career' the career pathways matrix allows individuals to identify their particular social care interests against job 'levels' to find what roles there are and see what range of qualifications are needed for those roles. It also includes case studies and contacts for more information.

"The interactive e-tool has been created to show that working in social care is not just a good job, but a great career," says Skills for Care CEO Sharon Allen.

The e-tool can be found at: www.skillsforcare.org.uk/careerpathways

This leaflet will give you some advice and ideas about what you need to think about when deciding to get someone to support you to live independently in your own home.

To download the leaflet please see Related Documents to the right of this article.

The Government has launched 'Caring for our future: shared ambitions for care and support' to engage with people who use care and support services, carers, local councils, care providers, and the voluntary sector about the priorities for improving care and support. The engagement exercise will run until 2 December and the results from the discussions will inform a Government White Paper and a progress report on funding reform that will be published in spring 2012.

For more information and for details on how to get involved, please go to: www.caringforourfuture.dh.gov.uk

Skills for Care has developed a practical guide for employers implementing social care Apprenticeship programmes.

The guide includes information about the Apprenticeship framework, the benefits of apprentices to your business, how to introduce them into the organisation and useful case studies. There are also sample job adverts and induction plan documents available to download from our website.

Visit www.skillsforcare.org.uk/apprenticeshipsguide or email marketing@skillsforcare.org.uk to order a hard copy of the guide.

Skills for Care Article...

Article from Skills for Care…

Thanks to the thousands of employers who have completed their National Minimum Data Set for Social Care (NMDS-SC) returns, Skills for Care has published the most accurate review of what the sector’s workforce really looks like.

A team of experts have been working away for months analysing the data you provided.

Their findings have been published in our latest ‘Size and Structure of the adult social care sector and the workforce in England’ report.

Some of the key findings include:

• The number of jobs in adult social care in England in 2010 was estimated at 1.77 million which is an annual rise of 7%

• The total number of people doing those jobs was estimated at 1.56 million

• An estimated 21,900 organisations provide or organise care services in England which was a rise of 0.5%

• We estimated that 48,300 establishments offered those care services which was up 2.6%

• The analysts reports that 153,791 adults and older people were receiving direct payments

The number of jobs in adult social care projected to grow between 24% and 82% between 2010 and 2025, which gives a real indication of why the successful recruitment and retention initiatives like Apprenticeships that the sector is driving forward are so important.

The team also found that nearly half the workforce – 44% worked in domiciliary care, 35% worked in residential settings, 14% in the community and 5% in day services.

“The whole point of gathering NMDS-SC data is that it helps a practical purpose in helping the sector develop a confident, capable and skilled workforce to meet future needs and challenges,” says Skills for Care’s Head of Workforce Intelligence Thea Seville.

“The response from the sector employers of all sizes has been brilliant which is why we now have the most accurate picture of our sector to date.”

“But we can’t rest on our laurels so we need employers to keep giving us their up to date information, and for those employers who haven’t supplied data to get in touch so our NMDS-SC team can help them through the process which we have simplified over the last few months.”

The report is available to download at www.skillsforcare.org.uk/research in the research reports section.

To register or update your NMDS-SC data please visit www.skillsforcare.org.uk/nmds-sc or contact our helpdesk on 0845 873 0129.

Four new qualifications for people working in health and social care settings, where diet and nutrition is particularly important have been launched.

These qualifications provider an essential foundation in understanding the importance of diet and nutrition.

The new system is designed to be flexible so that knowledge and skills gained will not need repeating but can be built on throughout a workers career.

For more information on the qualifications and Awarding Organisations offering them, visit www.skillsforcare.org.uk/qcf

Skills for Care Article...

We are pleased to inform you, the new Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole multi-agency safeguarding adults policy and procedures has now been produced and is available on Dorset For You.

www.dorsetforyou.com/safeguardingadults

A management circular is being produced, highlighting some of the key points about the new document, and this will be available shortly. In the meantime please ensure that you and all staff who need to know become familiar with the new policy and procedures, and cascade it as widely as you think appropriate.

The document is lengthy because it deals comprehensively with policy and procedures, guidance and legislation. The Safeguarding Adults Board recognises there is a need to provide a summary version focusing on key processes and procedures and work on this will start shortly. Relevant training courses are being adapted to include the main points of the new policy and procedures.

Living well with Dementia Bulletin - Summer 2011

South West Dementia Partnership - Our summer issue focuses on the Dementia Commissioning Pack and the call to action on the use of antipsychotic drugs for people with dementia. We include information about the launch of the Dementia Awareness Resource Pack, our forthcoming Autumn home care workshops and the Transparency Project's consultation on the new "Our Health" website at www.southwest.nhs.uk/ourhealth.

We also offer an in-depth review of the conference, 'Dementia Care in Hospital - Rising to the Challenge', held in July. Alison Moon, Regional Champion for Dementia Care in Hospital, says,

"Our annual regional conference was a wonderful success again this year. The programme variety was excellent and people said they had really enjoyed the day. It was a great pleasure to meet with such committed, compassionate and caring people, who together are working to transform the quality of care that people with dementia receive while in hospital."

Read more about the conference on pages 7-10 of the bulletin.

Download the bulletin or view it online at www.southwestdementiapartnership.org.uk/implementation/bulletin/issue-5/

If you have information about innovative practice, a forthcoming event or news item of interest that you would like to appear in the bulletin or on the Partnership website then please send it in to info@southwestdementiapartnership.org.uk or call Rowan to discuss it on 07852175374.

Skills for Care has launched a Workforce Development Strategy to support a capable, confident and skilled adult social care workforce across England. The strategy has been developed in partnership with employers, other key partners and the Department of Health. It recognises that the 1.6 million people who work in the sector are one of the most valuable assets in social care. follow the link to download a copy www.skillsforcare.org.uk/wdfs

I am a research assistant with Bournemouth University, and I am currently assessing the overall impact of our participatory research relating to sexuality and ageing (Fenge et al, 2007 onwards).

I understand from Dr Lee Ann Fenge that there was a 'Gay and Grey' conference held in 2007; and Kate Blake (PIC) has also informed me of a related 'Dignity and Respect' event held in 2008.

If yourself or any representative from your organisation attended either of these two events, then I would be very keen to hear from you regarding the potential impact that the issues raised may have had on your practice. Equally, if yourself or any representative from your organisation is familiar with the body of research covered by these events, I would also be very eager to hear from you.

Helen Buckley Research Assistant School of Health and Social Care Bournemouth University 4th Floor Royal London House Christchurch Road BOURNEMOUTH BH1 3LT (01202) 961237

NMDS-SC data can now be shared with the Care Quality Commision (CQC) to minimise the amount of information they need from organisations.

You can now confirm you are happy with this when you log into NMDS-SC - check and edit the permissions you have allowed by viewing you establishment details.

Initial data items from NMDS-SC have been shared with the CQC so they can develop indicators for the Quality and Risk Profile for each regulated provider of adult social care services.

To ensure your informaion is up to date and the data CQC received is accurate visit www.nmds-sc-online.org.uk.

Skills for Care is marking national Apprenticeships Week by reissuing its guidance to employers about workers aged under 18. The guidance now encourages employers to help young workers become apprentices.

The guidance, confirms that young practitioners can be employed in adult social care providing:

• they have completed or are undertaking an approved training programme in health and social care

• the registered manager or a delegated person assesses the competence and confidence of the young worker to carry out all the tasks required of them, including where necessary intimate personal care

• that appropriate support is offered to the young worker

• the consent of the person being supported and/or their advocate has been obtained

• inexperienced practitioners are not left in charge of a care setting or left to work on their own.

Assessing workers' competence, giving them appropriate support and obtaining the consent of those being supported are issues that apply to workers of all ages, but the guidance alerts employers that these might need particular attention in the case of young workers.

Approved training programmes are those recognised by Skills for Care as leading to qualifications that are included in the Qualifications and Credit Framework.

Skills for Care points out that such programmes are beyond those that are intended simply to meet the requirements of the Common Induction Standards, but it reminds employers too that those standards apply to workers of all ages who are new in post.

"We are pleased to re-issue our guidance for employers and inspectors that clarifies that adult social care workers aged 16 and 17 are allowed to undertake all work tasks suitable for their level of employment," said Skills for Care CEO Sharon Allen.

"We wanted to make it clear to employers that age isn't an issue in recruiting workers who are really motivated to develop long term careers in our sector - careers that will improve outcomes for people who use services.

"Our advice to employers is that the most efficient way to ensure their young workers are on an approved training programme is to support them to enrol in a Health and Social Care apprenticeship." Care Quality Commission (CQC) chief executive Cynthia Bower commented, "CQC supports the view of Skills for Care that 16 and 17 year olds can make a valuable contribution to the adult social care sector. It is vital that when working with this age group providers not only meet the essential standards of safety and quality but follow best practice guidelines and this guidance from Skills for Care is a welcome addition to that. This will help services to provide safe, quality care and deliver good outcomes for people."

Information about adult social care apprenticeships is available at Skills for Care

Skills for Care's National Minimum Data Set for Social Care (NMDS-SC) has been updated so that England's adult social care employers can now record new qualifications their workers are taking as part of the Qualifications and Credit framework (QCF).

The NMDS-SC database is the richest source of information on the adult social care sector and has been updated so the 40,600 establishments can record the new qualifications their workers are working towards or have already achieved.

The QCF provides a new way to recognise and reward skills using a more flexible 'mix and match' approach to meet the different development needs of a diverse workforce, so it was critical the NMDS-SC system is able to easily record the new ways of learning. Employers can now record the work their workers are doing towards the new Level 2 and 3 Diplomas in Health and Social Care, the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People's Services, as well as a range of smaller qualifications for continued professional development such as the Award in Supporting Individuals with Learning Disabilities, or the Certificate in Dementia Care and many more.

The NMDS-SC now also has a new training record section created for employers to record training their workers are doing outside the QCF, for example First Aid training, and is designed to help track the overall training profile of the people who work for them. Employers can now record if the training is accredited, when it took place and, if applicable, when it will expire.

"The QCF is a huge change in how more than 1.6 million adult social care workers gain skills and knowledge so it was critical that NMDS-SC was updated to make sure employers were able to record all training in their workplace," says Skills for Care CEO Sharon Allen.

"Employers can use the NMDS-SC to record and keep up to date information about the qualifications and training of their workforce, making it a great tool to help support you in evidencing compliance with the CQC requirements'.

The Government has today confirmed that it will remove the Default Retirement Age (DRA) so that people have more choice about when to stop working. The change will be phased out between 6 April and 1 October 2011.

Currently the DRA enables employers to make staff retire at 65 regardless of their circumstances, but the Government feels the rules must change as people are living longer, healthier lives. The change means that:

• From 6 April 2011, employers will not be able to issue any notifications for compulsory retirement using the DRA procedure.

• Between 6 April and 1 October, only people who were notified before 6 April, and whose retirement date is before 1 October can be compulsorily retired using the DRA.

• From 1 October 2011, employers will not be able to compulsorily retire their employees, unless the retirement can be objectively justified in their particular circumstance.

The removal of the DRA not only raises practical issues for employers in managing the older worker but also across the workforce more generally with a wide range of areas such as succession and workforce planning, performance management and ensuring consistency and fairness in their policies and practices.

The proposed changes will therefore have far reaching implications for the way many organisations work and employers who fail to make the necessary changes to approaches to employee retirement may face claims of unfair dismissal and discrimination.

For more information visit Skills for Care

Dementia is one of the most important issues we face as the population ages. There are estimated to be over 750, 000 people in the UK with dementia and numbers are expected to double in the next thirty years. The term ‘dementia’ is used to describe a syndrome which may be caused by a number of illnesses in which there is progressive decline in multiple areas of function. Although dementia is primarily a condition associated with older people, there are also a significant number of people (currently around 15,000) who develop dementia earlier in life. Direct costs of dementia to the NHS and Social Care are in the region of £8.2bn annually.

‘Living well with dementia - a National Dementia Strategy’ was published in February 2009. It set out a vision for transforming dementia services with the aim of achieving better awareness of dementia, early diagnosis and high quality treatment at whatever stage of the illness and in whatever setting.

The Strategy was followed in November 2009 by the publication of a report addressing the over-prescription of antipsychotic medication for people with dementia. Implementation of the 11 recommendations contained within that report is an integral part of improving the care and experience of people with dementia and their carers. To find out more follow the link to the Department of Health website

www.dh.gov.uk

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability and although some people can live relatively independently, others will have high dependency needs requiring a lifetime of specialist care. There are approximately 400,000 adults with ASC in England, around half of whom have a learning disability. Published on 3 March 2010, the first autism strategy for England will kick-start fundamental change in public services helping adults with autism to live independent lives and find work. To download your copy follow this link to the Department of Health website publications page

www.dh.gov.uk

Have your say about best interests decisions!

Have you been involved in a decision for someone who lacks capacity?

Dorset is one of four areas that have agreed to take part in a new national research study about best interests decisions under the Mental Capacity Act (MCA).

If you work in Dorset, this leaflet is an invitation to take part in an online survey: www.bestinterests.org.uk.

For more information click on the flyer to the right called Best Interests Decisions (BIDS) Dorset.