Comprehensive training is incredibly important to ensure that staff are able to deliver excellent quality care that is safe and responsive to the needs of clients. As part of staff training all staff should undergo an induction programme which should include at minimum 'mandatory training'.

This guide covers the induction training requirements for new staff joining your care business, and some options on how to manage it.

Mandatory training itself is then refreshed every year to ensure that staff members stay up to date with their skills:

·      Moving & Handling (Theory & Practical)

·      Basic Life Support (Theory & Practical)

·      Safeguarding Adults

·      Infection Prevention & Control

·      Handling Information – GDPR & Data Protection

·      Fire Safety Awareness

·      Health & Safety

·      Equality & Diversity

·      Radicalisation & Prevention

·      Lone Working

·      Medication Support & Administration (Include MAR Chart Practical)

The three main options when it comes to training staff members:

1)    Delivering the training yourself, after having completed a train the trainer course

2)    Sending staff members out to a local training centre for a day with training facilities and equipment (e.g. Health & Safety Group -

3)    Organising a trainer to come into your office once per month

Tip: We usually recommend scheduling at least one training day per month which you can then book in staff members who have been recruited in that month onto.

For brand new staff the care certificate will need to be completed, for experienced staff who have already completed the care certificate they would only need to complete mandatory training. Although they may be up to date with training for example with another company, we recommend ensuring that all staff members are fully trained before being signed off to work with customers - this way you can ensure that they are well skilled and have you had a good knowledge to be able to deliver safe care.

As part of your induction training, you may also want to go through specific items such as internal company policies and procedures, the staff handbook, any software to staff members will need to use - all in addition to the physical mandatory training. In light of this is often a good idea to book a induction across 2 or 3 days, however you could make the slightly longer if you wanted to include more comprehensive topics.

At minimum moving and handling and use of equipment needs to be done as a practical, as well as basic life support. Other modules aside from this can be done via e-learning, however you could also put together your own training materials if you are running training in-house.

Additionally, there is a further list of courses outside of mandatory training that you could decide to enrol staff members on. You could decide that you provide role specific training based on the types of clients they are supporting specifically, or train staff members on all areas so that they can support a range of clients with a range of needs. There are many available E-Learning courses these include things like:

Condition Specific Courses

·      Diabetes Awareness

·      Dementia Awareness

·      Parkinson’s Awareness

·      Stroke Awareness

·      Autism Awareness

·      Downs Syndrome Awareness

·      Bipolar Disorder Awareness

·      Mental Health Awareness

·      Sensory Awareness

·      Epilepsy Awareness

·      End of Life Care

‍

Practical Skills Courses 

·      Fluids & Nutrition

·      Eating & Drinking Support

·      Recording & Reporting

·      Privacy & Dignity

·      Oral Health Care

·      Catheter Care

·      Stoma Care

‍

If you have any questions about training please feel free to contact our team.