Category Archives: Health and Social Care

Help for healthcare employers on apprenticeship levy and assessment

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Healthcare employers looking to make the most of the new apprenticeship levy will have help on hand from one of the UK’s leading awarding organisations.

Highfield Qualifications has been approved by the government to provide end-point assessment (EPA) services for the new healthcare assistant practitioner , healthcare support worker and senior healthcare support worker standards – which are currently being introduced throughout the sector – and will be offering healthcare employers a full range of support services to make the most of their potential apprenticeship levy payments.

The changes are some of the biggest ever to training in the UK, and will see new apprenticeship standards use EPAs instead of continuous assessment, meaning individual apprentices will have their work and competence assessed towards the end of their learning against criteria established by healthcare employers.

There has also been the introduction of the apprenticeship levy from May 2017, with larger employers paying into a central fund that must be used for apprenticeship training, while smaller employers will see 90 per cent of their costs covered by the government.

Chris Sprenger, Highfield MD, said, ‘With our recognition by the government as an apprentice assessment organisation (AAO), Highfield is in a position to provide specific assessment services for those organisations already taking on healthcare apprentices.

We can also offer consultancy and advice to any organisation still trying understand the changes and make the most of them –  whether they are looking to take on apprentices for the first time, wanting to have their existing in-house training recognised, or searching for services and resources to ensure they claim the full share of their funding entitlement’.

He added, ‘Apprenticeships are great for businesses and can provide a welcome boost to staff development and productivity when it is most needed, but it’s vital that organisations understand from day one how to make sure the changes are of benefit to them and their employees’.

Highfield’s apprenticeship services are being offered through its Highfield Assessment brand.

For more on the healthcare standards, go to the ‘Apprenticeship Qualifications’ section of www.highfieldassessment.com

You can also contact Highfield at info@highfieldabc.net or by calling 0845 2260350.

Regular social media updates are available at https://twitter.com/askhighfield and www.facebook.com/askhighfield

ENDS
Notes to editors:

  1. Highfield Qualifications has been approved by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) as an apprentice assessment organisation (AAO) for the provision of end-point assessment services for the healthcare assistant practitioner , healthcare support worker and senior healthcare support worker standards. Highfield’s apprenticeship services are delivered through its Highfield Assessment brand.
  2. Highfield Qualifications is one of the UK’s top five awarding organisations (AOs) and winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2016, offering over 250 qualifications covering a wide variety of industries including retail, health and social care, rail, food safety, security, catering and hospitality, and logistics.

Apprenticeship EPA approval for hospitality and adult care

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Highfield has been approved to deliver end-point assessment (EPA) for five more apprenticeship standards.

The five standards are:

  • Adult Care Worker
  • Lead Adult Care Worker
  • Commis Chef
  • Hospitality Team Member
  • Hospitality Supervisor

The training sector is currently undergoing some of its biggest changes in over 30 years, and will see new apprenticeship standards – developed by groups of employers known as ‘trailblazers’ – being assessed by EPA instead of continuous assessment.

This means individual apprentices will have their work and competence assessed towards the end of their learning against criteria established by employers.

There will also be the introduction of the apprenticeship levy from 1 May 2017, with larger employers paying into a central fund that must be used for apprenticeship training, while smaller employers will see 90 percent of their costs covered by the government.

For more details, go to Highfield Assessment .

Two new qualifications to support care sector leaders

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Two new qualifications to support the training and development of current and future care sector leaders have been launched.

Developed by Highfield Qualification s and approved by Skills for Care , the qualifications are the most up to date in the sector that cover the principles of leadership and management for adult care, and the principles of commissioning for wellbeing.

The HABC Level 5 Certificate in Principles of Commissioning for Wellbeing (RQF) supports those for whom commissioning is part of their job role, and introduces the principles to new commissioners, enabling more experienced wellbeing professionals to review and update their knowledge. Although aimed at those who commission adult care and support services, it can be contextualised to support commissioners in health, housing and children’s care. It is the first of a suite of commissioning qualifications planned by Skills for Care.

The HABC Level 4 Certificate in Principles of Leadership and Management for Adult Care (RQF) covers the knowledge and understanding needed to allow learners to move into higher level training, thus bridging the gap between level 3 and level 5 qualifications.  It aligns with the Management Induction Standards (2016) and covers areas such as communication, safeguarding, professional development, regulatory processes and performance management.

Jason Sprenger, the Highfield Chief Executive said, ‘Supporting the development and training of current and future leaders in the care sector is paramount if it is to have the skilled individuals it needs to deliver services in an increasingly challenging environment. These are the most up-to-date additions to a suite of qualifications that focus on the principles of commissioning for wellbeing and the principles of leadership and management for adult care, and have been developed to a Skills for Care specification’.

For more information, go to http://www.highfieldabc.com/qualifications/compliance/healthsocialcare , phone 0845 2260350 or 01302 363277, or email info@highfieldabc.net

For regular updates, follow us on Twitter and Facebook .

E-learning for the Care Certificate receives official endorsement

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An innovative e-learning package to support learners and employers undertaking the Care Certificate has received official endorsement from the sector’s lead, Skills for Care.

Highfield elearning developed its course to support the introduction of the Care Certificate and the accompanying workbook. And now the e-learning course has been given the prestigious Approved e-Programme accolade from Skills for Care, while Highfield has been awarded Recognised e-Provider status.

Highfield is one of the UK’s largest educational bodies and was responsible for developing the official Care Certificate Workbook in 2015 on behalf of the Partnership, made up of Health Education England , Skills for Care and Skills for Health .

Highfield elearning’s resource was developed independently of the Partnership, but mirrors the content of the workbook and was created by the same team of health and social care sector experts.

The e-learning is flexible so that each learner can complete the standards that are specific to their role, and is mapped to official health and social care qualifications so that prior learning can be recognised. It is also fully customisable so that it meets the needs of individual organisations, and trackable so that learners’ progress can be monitored and verified.

Skills for Care’s Endorsement Framework programme establishes a set of strict criteria that organisations must meet to receive official recognition, and must be renewed on an annual basis to ensure that high standards are maintained.

Chris Sprenger, Highfield’s Managing Director, said, ‘We’re proud to be one of the first organisations to be recognised by Skills for Care’s Endorsement Framework for an e-learning course. It is a huge accolade, and points to the strength of our e-learning offer, the expertise – both technical and sectoral – behind it, and the recognised and acknowledged impact it can bring to employers looking for effective, efficient learning that delivers value for money’.

Claire Eley, Specialist Training Manager at CQM Learning Ltd, said, ‘CQM Learning Ltd (CQM) has introduced over 200 organisations to the Highfield Care Certificate e-learning.  Our clients have found the course to be highly effective and efficient, and particularly love the reporting functions available. The most frequently commented on features are the ease of use and the time it saves managers and supervisors from marking workbooks, meaning time can instead be used to observe staff competence while holistically reassessing knowledge across the units. Our clients keep coming back to us for more licences, which coupled with the Skills for Care endorsement, means it’s the only Care Certificate e-learning CQM Learning will consider using’.

Janet Glentworth, Vocational Centre Manager at Creative Support said, ‘Since Creative Support began using Highfield’s Care Certificate e-learning package, the uptake and completion of the certificate has increased by 300 percent and is still increasing. Likewise, we have reduced the number of days needed by classroom induction by 50 percent. The LMS is clear, easy-to-use and informative – from registering learners to awarding the certificate – saving time and resources for our admin team. With its ability to track learner progress and completions, and its easy-to-access information for inspections (such as CQC), learners find it easy to use and very accessible, making it excellent value for money.’

For more information on Highfield’s Care Certificate e-learning, click here .

Alternatively, contact Highfield on 0845 2260350 or 01302 363277, or via email: info@highfieldabc.net

For regular social media updates, go to Twitter and Facebook .

ENDS
Notes to editors:
1. The Highfield Group is comprised of:

  • Highfield Qualifications – awarding organisation (AO)
  • Highfield International – learning resources publisher
  • Highfield elearning – developer of e-learning, e-assessment and learner management systems
  • Highfield Assessment – apprenticeship assessment organisation (AAO)
  • Highfield MEA – international operations, based in Dubai

Apprenticeship standards: further views requested on CYP options

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Skills for Health is looking for feedback on qualifications units to support the Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard for Senior Healthcare Support Workers (Children and Young People’s option) and is asking professionals in the sector to complete a survey.

The survey has been split up into sections and the units have been allocated under different sections for ease: Safeguarding, Communication and relationship building, Mental Health, Providing support, Child development, Knowledge only units, Babies, Generic units and their applicability to Children & Young People.

The feedback will inform the final structure of the qualification pathway.

It does not include the mandatory units and only includes those units with outstanding queries.  These will be optional in the qualification for Children & Young People (not the full list of optional units).

http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/3346081/Children-Young-People-s-qualification-units

This survey will close at 12pm noon on Thursday 9 th March 2017 .

If you have any queries about the survey, please email qualifications@highfieldabc.net

Survey on end-of-life care content of new qualification

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A new qualification is being developed to support the Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard for Senior Healthcare Support Workers.

This survey relates to End of Life Care content of the proposed qualification. There are existing units for end of life care and this survey seeks your views on any changes that need to be made to ensure that they are fit for purpose. The final units will be available as optional units in the Level 3 Diploma qualification.

http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/3341850/End-of-Life-Care-units

The survey will close at 12pm noon on Monday 27 th February 2017.

If you have any queries, please email qualifications@highfieldabc.net

Consultation on English and maths requirements for HEI health programmes

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Skills for Health has launched a consultation on what English and maths requirements there should be for entry to higher education institutions’ (HEI) vocational programmes.

The organisation is seeking the views of HEIs, FE providers, healthcare employers, learners and others with experience, or an interest, in delivering English and maths programmes.

Currently there are a range of practices in setting and operating English and maths requirements for entry to ‘pre-reg’ nursing degrees and other vocational health programmes at HEIs in England. However, reports of different practices emerged during working to establish and support employers’ use of the Skills for Health Bridging Programme , including variations in external qualification requirements, the currency of qualifications and the use of internal assessment.

As a result, Health Education England (HEE) has commissioned Skills for Health to research and produce a report, which looks at:

  • what English and maths requirements are set for entry to health-related vocational programmes at HEIs in England, and HEIs’ rationales for these
  • how employers, FE providers and HEIs are addressing skills gaps in English and maths to support progression to the above
  • whether there should be a national English and maths strategy, as an action within Talent For Care and what it should address and include

To take part in the survey, click here .

Closing date for responses is 23 December 2016. Skills for Health may wish to discuss some aspects of your response over the phone if you have time and are willing, so please indicate on the survey whether you are happy to be contacted.

Apprenticeship Standard for Wellbeing Support Workers

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skills-for-health Skills for Health has launched a consultation on proposals to develop an apprenticeship standard for the wellbeing support workers job role at Level 2 after an expression of interest for health promotion assistant was rejected by the government.

The survey aims to gather opinions on whether the new role profile looks accurate or needs amending, and will gather feedback on how employers refer to the role internally, how many people are employed in the role (or would look to employ once the apprenticeship route is available) and whether you would be able to support the new expression of interest, due to be submitted in November.

To take part in the survey, click here . To find out more on the new healthcare apprenticeship standards, click here .

If you replied to the health promotion assistant survey, or are named as part of that steering group, please also respond to this one so that a new expression of interest can be developed.

The survey runs from from 19 October until 12:00 pm on 16 November 2016.

Value of Leadership and Management within Healthcare Settings

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In this article, Highfield’s subject matter expert for health and social care, Maddy Thomson, highlights the benefits of leadership and management training within healthcare settings.

High-quality care and skilled and qualified leaders and managers go hand-in-hand. In adult care, managers are not only responsible for the service provided to those who receive care and support, but also for supporting a team and influencing the quality of care across a service or organisation. Good leadership and management can transform an organisation, while underdeveloped leaders and managers who lack confidence can destroy it. So it’s important that leaders and managers have the opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills.

Social care organisations also need to develop strong leaders and managers to meet the challenges ahead amid the growing complexity of the social care sector. Adult social care faces challenges due to demographic changes and cultural change to innovate to provide individualised person-centred care across a wide spectrum of diverse needs. Dynamic and well-trained leaders and managers can be the catalysts for the changes that need to happen and provide the best response to the market place in a continued environment of efficiency drives.

The State of the Adult Social Care Sector and Workforce in England 2015 report estimated that managerial and supervisory roles accounted for 7% of jobs, approximately 115,000. This group included senior managers, middle managers, line managers, registered managers and other managerial roles not directly involved in providing care. The figure specifically for registered managers, who need the skills and ability to manage and prepare for CQC inspections, was 22,500.  Numbers are set to increase as demand for social care services continues to grow, and a clear qualification route for progression will be an important mechanism to support employers in growing the future managers they need.

However, career progression in adult social care is often thought to be problematic.  One key factor is the intrinsic difference in the nature of management roles as opposed to care and support work. Team members with excellent care and support skills at level 3 are primary candidates for promotion into management but many find themselves unprepared for the very different set of knowledge and skills required.  These diverse skills are reflected in the different focus of the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services as compared with the Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care. Many employers report that the gap between these is too great for learners and it presents a barrier to progression.

Employers have continued to call attention to the absence of this route direct from level 3 into management, which is the most common progression path. A new qualification is now being developed – the Level 4 Certificate in Principles of Leadership and Management for Adult Care. The purpose of the qualification is to provide a progression route into management roles in social care settings from a variety of starting points. It will also serve as an induction route for managers new in their post, ensuring that the Manager Induction Standards can be achieved in the context of accredited learning and assessment.

The qualification will be knowledge only, to allow as broad an audience as possible to achieve it including those who are not yet in management roles.

Skills for Care, which has initiated the development, will liaise with CQC to ensure the proposed qualification is understood as a recommended development route for new managers.

By providing progression into the management role, the qualification will aid career development from care and support into management, and from non-social care degrees into social care management.

The qualification will map closely to both Skills for Care’s Manager Induction Standards (as revised 2015) and to the successor qualification to the QCF Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services that is planned. It will therefore offer an aligned route into the key competence qualification for social care management and support managers in meeting CQC’s expectations for workforce development.

The new qualification is available in England only and likely to be eligible for funding through the Workforce Development Fund administered through Skills for Care. Highfield has been involved since the planning stages and has participated in the development of the qualification, which will be available later this year

Sources – Skills for Care

Better care in my hands: A review of how people are involved in their care

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A new report by the Care Quality Commission describes the extent and quality of people’s involvement in their health and social care. Better Care in My Hands seeks to review how much people are involved in their own care, and offers insights into the progress and continued challenges in this vital area.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. Its purpose is to ensure that health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate and high-quality care. It works alongside care providers to monitor, inspect and rate services to protect people who depend on such services.

Founded by CQC’s national reports and inspection findings, national patient surveys and a literature review, the report identifies what enables people and their families to work in partnership with health and social care staff and illustrates this with examples of how people are involved in their care in services that have been rated outstanding.

The review also gives some practical recommendations for providers, commissioners and system partners to ensure improvements are made in the future.

To read the full report, please click here.

Further information on this report is also available here.