Agenda item

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Adults and Communities, which provided members with details of the range of training opportunities available to providers of services for adults and older people in Leicestershire. A copy of the report marked “Agenda Item 10” is marked with these minutes.

 

In introducing the report, the Cabinet Lead Member for Adult Social Care advised that staff turnover had reached 31 percent and that this posed a challenge to providers. He suggested that this could in part be addressed by further investment in staff retention, including training.

 

The Committee expressed concern over the lack of nationally recognised, minimum compulsory qualifications and licencing of adult care staff. In addition, members suggested that short courses and online training were not sufficient to prepare care staff for work looking after the most vulnerable in society.  The Committee was however of the view that the quality of care offered in Leicestershire was good and that professional care staff should be rewarded by vocational progression and recognition. Members acknowledged that the issues around training and licencing were a national problem and on a local level they welcomed the Department’s work on maintaining partnerships with service providers (as outlined in Market Position Statement - see minute 85) to ensure continuous improvement of care quality. 

 

In the ensuing discussion the following points were made:-

 

(i).  The Care Certificate was a nationally recognised qualification, which was overseen by managers and supervisors within the independent sector. The requirement for achieving this and other care qualifications was based around work duties being fulfilled by care staff. Members were advised however that the Department was currently working on quality improvement, including some work around staff training and bolstering the sector’s stability as part of the Workforce Strategy;

 

(ii). The short courses provided by the Leicestershire Social Care Development Group (LSCDG) were not the only courses available to frontline care staff. Some of the courses outlined in the report were intended for those managers supporting frontline staff. Members were advised  that there was a specific requirement for providers to ensure staff completed classroom based and practical training, in addition to online-based tuition;

 

(iii). Course ‘dropout’ rates were around 5%. As well as those who had not attended, this included those who had completed the course and not met the minimum standards required. The non-attendance rate had reduced since a policy of charging for non-attendance had been implemented;

 

(iv). Whilst there was a high turnover of care staff many remained within the sector, which indicated that staff moved between providers rather than out of the sector altogether;

 

(v). Individual placements including domiciliary care, Community Life Choices or Supported Living were reviewed annually. However when a concern or a complaint was received by the Customer Service Centre the setting would be inspected immediately, often within a few hours;

 

(vi). In terms of vocational progression members were advised that a new “Managers’ Pathway” was being developed to enable care staff  who wished to develop in their profession to do so;

 

(vii).   The work of care staff in Leicestershire was valued and this was confirmed by Stakeholders commendations which reflected that some services had been delivered above and beyond contractual agreements;

 

(viii).  It was noted that a part of Healthwatch’s remit was to monitor providers, including the level of training that staff received;

 

(ix).     The Authority worked with care providers on certain minimum requirements of care. Whilst appropriate training was crucial to the sector it was felt that this should not become a burden or a disruption to people wanting to work in this area. The County Council took the training of its staff very seriously.

 

In her concluding remarks, the Chairman commended officers for providing detailed advice on the training opportunities available to providers of services for adults and older people in Leicestershire. The Committee was of the view that the services provided were of a high standard, which was not always replicated nationally, but that standards could be improved further by the introduction of minimum compulsory qualifications and licencing of adult care staff.

 

It was proposed by Mr. A. E. Pearson CC and seconded by Mr. S. D. Sheahan CC:-

 

“That a letter be sent to the Minister of State for Community and Social Care expressing concern at the lack of nationally regulated training and compulsory certification for those employed as adult care staff”.

 

The motion was put and carried, 8 members having voted for the motion and one abstention. 

 

RESOLVED:

 

(a)   That the report be noted;

 

(b)   That a letter be sent to the Minister of State for Community and Social Care expressing concern at the lack of nationally regulated training and compulsory certification for those employed as adult care staff.