The Developing Skills in Health and Social Care (DSHSC) project provides fully funded training 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).
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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.
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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
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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 2023
- January 10th - March 7th (every Tuesday - 09.30 to 12.30)
- March 21st - May 16th (every Tuesday - 09.30 to 12.30)
- May 23rd - July 18th (every Tuesday - 09.30 to 12.30)
Level 2
Overview of Level 2 Units
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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 (9:30am - 1pm)
- December 6th
- February 15th
- April 12th
- June 7th
- August 23rd
Understand how to work in end of life care (9:30am - 1pm)
- Jan 11th
- March 1st
- May 31st
- July 19th
Introductory awareness of autistic spectrum conditions (9:30am - 1pm)
- January 25th
- March 22nd
- May 3rd
- July 12th
Introduction to mental health, mental ill health, and wellbeing (9:30am - 1pm)
- December 13th
- February 8th
- April 5th
- June 14th
- August 2nd
Understand the context of supporting individuals with learning disabilities (9:30am - 1pm)
- November 15th
- February 22nd
- April 26th
- June 21st
- August 9th
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 (9:30am - 1pm)
- November 16th
- February 16th
- April 13th
- June 8th
- August 3rd
Understanding Parkinson’s disease within an adult care setting/service
Credit value 3
GLH 25
The aim of this unit is for the learner to understand Parkinson’s disease, common treatments and the effect of lifestyle choices on symptoms. The learner will understand how effective support can impact on the experience of the individual with Parkinson’s disease.
Training Dates (1pm - 4.30pm)
- November 22nd
- January 17th
- March 28th
- May 30th
- July 25th
Level 4
Highfield Level 4 Certificate in Principles of Leadership and Management for Adult Care (RQF)
All participants will need to attend all workshops (only once). All sessions are conducted through Microsoft teams.
- Workshop 1, 2 and 3: 09.30 - 13.00 (this will include induction/study skills & e-portfolio guidance)
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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.
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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
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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
- January 12th
- February 23rd
- April 6th
- May 18th
- June 29th
Workshop 2
- January 26th
- March 9th
- April 20th
- June 1st
- July 13th
Workshop 3