Preparing for a CQC Inspection: PART FOUR
Home Care Staff Training
Care Certificate
During inspections, CQC will assess if your staff possess the necessary qualifications, skills, knowledge, and experience to perform their job effectively. Providers are expected to adhere to the Care Certificate standards, which help ensure that staff receive adequate support, training, and assessments to carry out their roles competently.
Although the Care Certificate is not mandatory, CQC expects providers to implement an equivalent training scheme if they choose not to follow it. Skills for Care offers various resources on implementing the Care Certificate in England, and additional information can be found on their website.
Induction Training
Making sure that new staff receive induction training is an important expectation of the Care Quality Commission (CQC). It typically takes about twelve weeks for a careworker who is new to social care to complete the Care Certificate, though the time may vary depending on a number of circumstances, including the number of hours worked by the learner.
During the induction period, careworkers can work alone, as long as they have completed the required pre-employment checks. However, they should not be expected to work beyond their level of competency, such as administering medication without successfully completing medication training.
Training staff to support autistic people and people with a learning disability
Starting from July 1st, 2022, all health and social care providers are required to ensure their staff receive training in learning disability and autism. This includes teaching them how to interact appropriately with people who have these conditions, at a level that corresponds to their job role. The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism is a valuable resource for this purpose.
This requirement applies to all services and settings, not just specialist services for autistic people and people with a learning disability, and not just the places where they live. It also applies to all health and care staff, including ancillary staff who may have contact with people with these conditions, such as administrative staff.
In addition to this new requirement, providers must still meet the standards of Regulation 18. This means providing employees with appropriate support, training, professional development, supervision, and appraisal to enable them to carry out their duties.
To comply with this new requirement, all staff must receive training on how to interact appropriately with people with a learning disability and autism, and at a level that is suitable for their role. Furthermore, staff must receive appropriate supervision to ensure that they maintain competence in understanding the needs of people with these conditions, and how to best support them.
When reviewing your induction, training, and supervision plans for all staff, you must take this requirement into account. You should be able to meet the needs of anyone using your service, including those who are not directly using your service, but whom your staff may have contact with.
Suggestions for Training Topics for Home Care Workers:
- Responding to accidents and emergencies
- Prohibited activities for care staff
- Understanding mental health, dementia, and learning disabilities
- Basic life support techniques
- Personal conduct and professional codes of behaviour
- Communication skills and techniques
- Confidentiality and data protection measures
- Core values of your service, including a needs-led and person-centred approach
- Duty of care responsibilities
- Entering and leaving client homes: protocols and procedures
- Awareness of equality and human rights
- Fluids and nutrition for clients
- Policies and procedures for handling gifts and bequests
- Health and safety training, including manual handling, infection prevention and control, and fire safety
- Monitoring and maintaining client health
- Knowledge of relevant legislation requirements
- Mandatory training on learning disabilities and autism
- Medication handling and administration
- Proper use of mobile phones and personal electronic devices while working
- Handling money and financial matters on behalf of clients
- Basic personal care skills required for the role
- Personal development planning for staff members
- Proper use of personal protective clothing and equipment
- Prevention of abuse and exploitation of clients
- Ensuring client privacy and dignity
- Quality assurance and monitoring techniques
- Accurate and purposeful record-keeping
- Guidelines regarding smoking, drinking alcohol, or using illegal substances while working
- Setting and maintaining professional standards for care staff
- Working safely and appropriately during out-of-hours shifts
- Familiarity with employment terms and conditions, including disciplinary and grievance procedures
- Understanding and implementing whistleblower policies
How do I prove compliance with the Mental Capacity Act during an inspection?
Part five, Preparing for a CQC inspection looks at consent, DOLS and the mental capacity Act.
If you have any questions about CQC inspections join us in Care Begins at Home, a group created to provide free knowledge and information to care providers and family carers.
We asked our group of care professionals what marketing strategies they found most effective. You can see the results here or ask them any questions you might have about marketing or any other care sector issues. Find free resources, templates and guides to help you improve and grow your care business.
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You can accept a DBS from a previous employer if the applicant has signed up for the DBS Update Service. Otherwise, it’s advisable to apply for a new Enhanced DBS.
Apply for and wait for the results of the Adults First Check. This will provide information about whether the person is on the barred list. You can start the carer once the Adults First Check is back as long as you can meet the criteria above.
DBS guidance can be complex, and getting it wrong can have serious consequences. Find answers to care provider questions about the DBS process.
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