When it comes to defining care provider training needs, where you end up has a lot to do with your starting point.
Every training and development plan starts with some kind of needs assessment. How effective it is depends largely on the depth and thoroughness of the analysis. But, it also depends on something else: whose needs are you aiming to meet?
One approach to defining care provider training needs is to look externally at the expectations of the CQC. Another is to evaluate where your team stands against mandatory training requirements. While you can’t ignore these factors, they’re also not the whole story.
The biggest risk with looking externally and at ‘mandatory’ elements is that training becomes an obligation: “we’re doing it because it’s expected”. This feeds through into lower engagement levels and enthusiasm. It’s ticking a box rather than making a positive contribution to your operation.
A Better Way to Define Care Provider Training Needs
A healthier alternative is for training needs to be driven by internal factors. For example, the training needed to deliver better care to clients with dementia, or to improve their quality of life. It can even be driven by the training you need to improve standards and justify higher charges for self-funders.
There are many potential factors determined by your operational and business objectives that add greater meaning and purpose to your training and development plans.
Another key aim will be improved staff retention. Reducing the time and resources soaked up by high staff churn rates would be a major benefit for many providers. Employees in any sector value training that clearly helps them to develop their competence and mastery. They also know when training is arranged with a clear purpose and when it’s going through the motions.
The Right Training Provider
Meeting training needs in this context doesn’t just affect the course content, it also raises questions about who provides the training. Does the provider aim to deliver the minimum needed to tick the box? Or, do they aim to enrich the experience with greater substance and practical insight?
An effective training and development plan has to consider many factors. The more these are driven by your business plans and individual needs of staff and clients, the more effective it will be. Plans should also be part of a cyclical plan, do, assess, review process.
For more inspiration on defining training programmes that add real value to your business, download our recent white paper from our resource centre. Or, call Redcrier on 01823 332200 for an initial conversation about what training you might be looking for.
