fbpx

News

How can you be sure your staff are competent?

Competency is not a new concept; it has been established for a while and is one of the 6 C’s of care (launched in 2012). Moving forwards you will be required to embed competency into your staff training schedules for the majority (if not all) of the courses that are currently considered mandatory.  

Competency within care staff is the foundation for good and outstanding care. From staff members currently going through the Care Certificate through to more experienced staff that have been working in the industry for years.  As a Care Manager you are expected to test and demonstrate competency of all staff members. This does not simply mean beating staff over the head with the same training time and time again. In line with the current mandatory training framework issued by Skills For Care, Managers need to be tuned into the impact of training on the staff by way of assessing their competency. 

Of the 19 courses listed within the mandatory framework, 12 have “assess knowledge and competency at least annually” listed under the refresher schedule. For the remaining courses the training may be annually, so Managers need to find a time and cost efficient method of training and assessment that leaves staff competent. 

“All those in caring roles must have the ability to understand an individual’s health and social needs and the expertise, clinical and technical knowledge to deliver effective care and treatments based on research and evidence”

Any staff member responsible for administering medication will have gone through a level of competency checks to minimise the risk of mistakes occurring which can cause harm or result in costly compensation claims. The principle for other subject areas is the same. Managers need to replicate the process on a far more holistic approach spanning many other subject matters. Managers cannot make snap judgements regarding staff competence, there needs to be a clear process of how competency is assessed. The process ideally would generate an audit trail to, at the very least, demonstrate a competency assessment having taken place.  

We have recently launched eCompetency that will enable organisations to test the skillset of their employees using state of the art modern gamification. The available modules include Safeguarding Adults, Fire Awareness and Moving & Handling. These three key areas are part of statutory requirements within services. We have several methods to help you assess and track your staff training and competency. If you would like to speak to us to find out how we can help you with these key areas, then please give us a call today on 01823 332200 or alternatively visit our homepage and use the pop up to request a call back from us. 

Get your free COVID-19 training by clicking the button below.

COVID-19 Training

Share this post...

More News from Redcrier

Request a demo

Simply fill out your details below.

If you are already using eBox and need help then contact Support or access User Guides.