The changing face of Training

Have you noticed how contracts are becoming a lot longer and more detailed in their outcome requirements? The emphasis is, as it should be, on care being delivered by competent, appropriately trained and supported staff. They also outline the outcomes that the training should deliver. The contracts may say that all staff need a Learning and Development Plan,

However the contracts do not say how that training should be delivered, or what qualifications and experience the trainer should be, or who the training should be provided by. It can be a quandary. Training can also be expensive and not effective not efficient.

Training has to be done, so how do we get SMART about training?

I would always start with the contract and make notes of the specific outcomes and the ‘hints’. The hints come in the form of statements such as ‘staff should be encouraged to…!’ This could include ”Enabling Single Handed Care’ or ‘Making Every Contact Count’. Words used can be frustrating ‘appropriate training in..’ or ‘in relation to their understanding’. So “staff should be encouraged to be supported in receiving appropriate training in relation to their understanding”!! You then look on-line and there is little clarification of whether the training needs to be accredited or non-accredited, delivered via elearning, face-to-face, blended, distance and then who should deliver it.

Don’t worry there are lots of  companies out there, and we are a company too, offering training. The difference between many companies and ours is that we will support an Organisation in setting up and delivering their Training Programme, not the one we think you should have, but the one your organisation needs.

Yes we can supply elearning, workbooks, face-to-face and we offer the Care Certificate, Induction, Mandatory subjects, right up to specialist mental health training. But, what does your organisation need?

Questions you should be asking are:

1. Are we duplicating training?
2. Is our training meeting our contractual agreement?
3. Is our training meeting CQC outcomes?
4. Is our training value for money?
5. What are our shortfalls?
6. Is our training programme SMART?

Train for Care will support an Organisation in reevaluating their Training Programme, action planning and implementing agreed changes. It may be that we do not, at the end of the process, provide the training, or we may provide some of the training, that is not the point! The point is that your organisation end up having SMART programmes, competent and appropriatley trained and supported staff and well care for clients.

If we can help just let us know.