The Developing Skills in Health and Social Care (DSHSC) project provides fully funded qualifications to staff working in the Health and Social Care sector across Norfolk and Suffolk.
West Suffolk College is part of this collaborative project, led by Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils, alongside a range of local colleges, training providers and other partners. The aim of the project is to empower those working in the health and social care sector to develop new skills, helping to continue providing high quality care to local people. The project team will work closely with health and social care providers to identify the best way to involve their staff in the project.
To be eligible, participants must:
- Be legally entitled to live and work in the UK
- Live in Norfolk or Suffolk and be employed by an organisation that provides health and / or social care services for adults in Norfolk or Suffolk. (This includes people who are self-employed).
Speak to our team: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 01284 716 246
Level 1
Care Certificate Programme, embedding the Level 1 Preparing to Work Award
Remote sessions, 1 session per week for 9 weeks. Delivery of all 15 standards of the care certificate embedding the Level 1 award. Basic Life support training is an extra session and arranged with the workplace.
-
What is the care certificate?
What is the care certificate?
Developed by Health Education England and Skills for Health, the Care Certificate was developed and designed to meet the requirements set out in the Cavendish Review.
Who is it for?
The Care certificate is for new staff as part of an induction programme and for anyone working in social care and health. Some examples are :
- Adult Social Care workers in residential, nursing homes and hospices.
- Support workers
- Homecare workers
- Personal assistants
To be awarded the Care Certificate you must meet all the 15 standards. These are :
- Understand your role
- Your personal development
- Duty of care
- Equality and diversity
- Work in a person-centred way
- Communication
- Privacy and dignity
- Fluids and nutrition
- Awareness of mental health, dementia & learning disabilities
- Safeguarding adults
- Safeguarding children
- Basic life support
- Health & safety
- Handling information
- Infection, prevention & control
-
Overview of the level 1 award preparing to work in adult social care (embedded within the Care Certificate)
This qualification will enable learners to develop a basic knowledge of the adult social care sector and is aimed at those learners who wish to explore roles in this field.
To gain this qualification, learners must achieve 6 credits from the mandatory units.
This qualification provides a pathway into the sector for individuals considering a career in health and/or social care or those returning to work after a career break. It does not confirm competence in a job role but provides an opportunity to develop knowledge about the wider health and social care sector before learners decide whether working in the sector is for them and gain information to make decisions about career progression.
Mandatory units:
- Introduction to the adult social care sector
- Introduction to the values and principles of adult social care
- Awareness of the skills and attitudes needed to work in adult social care
- Awareness of communication in adult social care
- Awareness of the roles and responsibilities of the adult social care worker
Training Dates
Level 2
Overview of Level 2 Units
-
Introduction to mental health, mental ill health and wellbeing
Credit value 3
GLH 20
This unit introduces learners to the concepts of mental health, mental ill health and wellbeing, as well as other related terminology and subjects, such as stigma and other associated impacts of mental illness. It aims to provide a learner with an understanding that all individuals have mental health and that an individual’s experience of mental health can fluctuate on a spectrum. It also introduces learners to basic treatment models, including self-help.
-
Dementia Awareness
Dementia Awareness
Credit value 2
GLH 7
The aim of the unit is to enable learners to gain knowledge of what dementia is, the different forms of dementia and how others can have an impact on the individual with dementia
-
Understand the context of supporting individuals with learning disabilities
Understand the context of supporting individuals with learning disabilities
Credit value 2
GLH 18
The unit explores the meaning of learning disability and considers issues closely linked with learning disability support. These include an awareness of how the attitudes and beliefs of others affect individuals who have learning disabilities. The unit introduces themes of inclusion, human rights, advocacy, empowerment and active participation and also considers the central place of communication in working with individuals who have learning disabilities.
-
Understand how to work in end of life care
Understand how to work in end of life care
The purpose of this unit is to assess the learner’s knowledge and understanding when beginning to work in End of Life Care.
Credit value 3
GLH 23
-
Introductory awareness of autistic spectrum conditions
Introductory awareness of autistic spectrum conditions
Credit value 2
GLH 17
The unit provides introductory awareness on autistic spectrum conditions. It provides learners with key areas of knowledge and explores important themes such as individuality, communication, behaviour and person centred support. The terminology chosen to describe the Autistic Spectrum in this unit is Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC), one of several different usages in this field. In diagnosis and other clinical and research settings, the more usual term is Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). Other usages, such as ‘autism’ as an umbrella term for the spectrum, are also frequently used informally and by organisations such as the National Autistic Society. ASC has been chosen here since it forms a more neutral and less medical phrase than ASDs in this context.
Training Dates
Dementia Awareness
- June 21st
- August 9th
- October 4th
- December 6th
Understand how to work in end of life care
- August 2nd
- September 6th
- November 8th
Introductory awareness of autistic spectrum conditions
- July 5th
- September 27th
- November 8th
Introduction to mental health, mental ill health, and wellbeing
- August 10th
- October 11th
- December 13th
Understand the context of supporting individuals with learning disabilities
- July 19th
- September 13th
- November 15th
Chloe Stevenson, Patient Safety and Quality Team Administrator at West Suffolk Hospital, completed Level 2 course Understand the context of supporting individuals with learning disabilities
"Within my time at the West Suffolk Hospital, I had the opportunity to work alongside the wards with the Keeping in Touch Team during Covid time. I was able to support people during this difficult time and connecting them with their loved ones. I dealt with a few patients that had learning difficulties, and I was unable to show support where they were confused on the situation they were in.
"When the course was offered I was most interested in this course than the others that were available to do, as I felt this would help me in these types of situations where I struggled in communicating effectively. I enjoyed researching about this topic, as I believe within my future at the West Suffolk Hospital or elsewhere I will be able to have a much wider knowledge and doing courses like these are good for my development and will allow me to explore different fields."
Level 3
Understanding mental capacity and restrictive practice
Credit value 2
GLH 18
This unit aims to provide the learner with an understanding of the principles of mental capacity, including current legislation, codes of practice and how these principles interact. The learner will understand the rights of individuals and ways to support and promote their ‘best interest’ and when factors may influence the ability to express consent. The learner will explore strategies and skills that could be used to maximise individuals’ capacity to make their own decisions and understand restrictive practises and own roles following organisational policies and procedures in relation to restrictive practices
Training Dates
- Wednesday 7th September
- Wednesday 16th November
Level 4
Highfield Level 4 Certificate in Principles of Leadership and Management for Adult Care (RQF)
All participants will need to attend both workshops (only once). All sessions are conducted through Microsoft teams.
- Workshop 1, 2 and 3: 09.30 - 13.30 (this will include induction/study skills & e-portfolio guidance)
-
What is it and who is it for?
The level 4 aspiring and empowering future leaders in health and social care
programme is designed for anyone looking to step up or already in a management/leadership role. The qualifcation consists of 6 units with specific emphasis on core knowledge in the following areas:
Leadership, regulatory processes, innovation and change, supervision/performance management , resource management and managing self.
-
How will I achieve the qualification?
You will attend 3 x 4 hour live online workshops to provide you with the knowledge and understanding to complete the assignments.
Further 1-1 support is available
-
Units that make up certificate
Unit 2: Team Leadership in Adult Care: Credit value 2
- Learners will Understand team leadership & team development in adult care.
Unit 4: Regulatory Processes for Adult Care: Credit value 2
Learners will.
- Understand key roles, remits and responsibilities in registered services
- Understand the systems and requirement for the regulation of adult care services.
- Understand the inspection process
- Understand the wider range of regulatory requirements that apply to the service
Unit 11: Supervision and Performance Management in Adult Care: Credit value: 1
Learners will:
- Understand supervision in adult care & procedures to address performance management issues
Unit 12: Resource Management in Adult Care: Credit value 2
Learners will
- Understand resource management issues
- Understand financial management arrangements
- Understand human resource issues
- Understand recruitment and retention
- Issues
- Understand how to analyse the impact of
- resource management on service delivery
Unit 17: manage Self for Leadership in Adult Care: Credit value 2
Learners will:
- Understand the importance of self-awareness
- Understand how to manage own behaviour
- Understand how to manage own workload
- Understand own role to champion the vision and values of the service
- Understand how to manage own learning and continuing professional development
Unit 20: Innovation and Change in Adult Care: Credit value 2
Learners will
- Understand how a vision for the service supports innovation
- Understand principles of effective change management
Training Dates
Workshop 1
- 30th June
- 1st September
- 13th October
- 24th November
Workshop 2
- 14th July
- 15th September
- 27th October
- 8th December
Workshop 3
- 16th June
- 28th July
- 29th September
- 10th November
- 15th December