Give your views on minimum qualifications for care workers

Skills for Care and Skills for Health are developing a code of conduct and minimum training standards for care workers and adult social workers and they are asking for people’s views.

Skills for Care and Skills for Health have been jointly commissioned by the Department of Health (DH) to create a ‘fit for purpose’ code and minimum training standards that will help ensure workers are supported in delivering safe and effective care.

The project aims to identify the standards of training and practice required for adult social care workers working in support of health and social care professionals, independently, for CQC (Care Quality Commission) registered residential care providers or as domiciliary care workers in England.

Martin Green, chief executive of English Community Care Association (ECCA), chair of Care Providers Alliance and DH independent sector dementia champion said: “The social care workforce needs more recognition and the development of minimum training standards and a code of conduct is an essential building block for improving the professional status of social care workers.

“I am really pleased that Skills for Care and Skills for Health are developing this project and I would urge all care providers to engage with it, and to voice their views on this important issue.”

Consultation on the proposed standards and minimum training requirements is taking place across both the health and social care sectors.

Feedback is being sought from patients, the public and service users, support workers, carers, commissioners, employers, professional bodies and providers.

The feedback from the consultation may be used by a body (or bodies) wishing to establish a voluntary register(s) for healthcare support workers and adult social care workers in England as part of its standards for inclusion on a register.

To view the consultation documents and have your say in confidence by 7 September go to www.skillsforhealth.org.uk/about-us/consultations/minimum-standards-consultation/