Cabrini House residential support worker Aaron Milliken is the first of four members of staff to successfully complete the new Care Certificate. Aaron was presented with his certificate by residential manager Michelle Dyne earlier this month.

The Care Certificate was introduced in 2015 in response to the 2013 Cavendish Review which found the training and development of healthcare assistants and adult social care workers was often not consistent or sufficient. 

Baroness Camilla Cavendish proposed that a new “Certificate of Fundamental Care” was created to improve this which led to introduction of the Care Certificate, covering the learning outcomes competences and standards of behaviour that must be expected of support workers in the health and social care sectors. The certificate builds on and replaces the earlier induction programmes: social care common induction standards (cis) and National minimum training standards (NMTS)

There are 15 standards that make up the Care Certificate, which takes around 12 weeks to complete. These include understanding the role, personal development, duty of care, equality and diversity, work in a person centred way, communication, privacy and dignity, fluid and nutrition, mental health, dementia and learning disabilities, safeguarding adults, safeguarding children, basic life support, health and safety, handling information and infection prevention and control.

In accordance with CQC requirements and the national standards, all new staff that do not have an NVQ qualification must now complete the Care Certificate.

Michelle added: “The team have all been working hard for their certificates and are progressing nicely. We’ve very proud of Aaron for his achievement.”