Care UK comments on training and regulation of healthcare assistants in care homes

Company news

Nov 15, 2011

Toby Siddall, Managing Director of Residential Care at Care UK, commented:    “We look forward to seeing more detail on the Government’s proposals – in particular whether this minimum level of training will address the whole spectrum of roles that healthcare assistants or their equivalents might undertake.  We would also hope to see the sector’s commitment to training reflected in the attitudes and support of commissioners.”

Care UK also supports the idea of a code of conduct for healthcare assistants which the Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley is reported to have approved recently.  However, directors at Care UK see codes of conduct as only part of the solution.  Mr. Siddall said: “Matters of technical competence and behaviour are already an important part of the employment contract for Care UK employees.  Whether or not a member of a care home team treats people with dignity is about the leadership, training and recruitment of people with the right personal values – not about a line in a contract.”

Care UK provides residential care for over 5,250 older people in 85 homes. People joining as care assistants in the homes undertake some 15 days of training, well beyond the common induction standard training for the sector.  Care UK is also pioneering advanced specialist dementia training across its homes and staff. The company prides itself on recruiting employees with strong caring values and empathy to see the service from the perspective of the people they support.

“We need to stop undermining the country’s perception of care workers– the sector is full of great examples that we should be proud of.  We must never forget that hundreds of thousands of care workers are doing a fantastic job for some of the most vulnerable members of our society every day of the year”, said Mr. Siddall.