Can Siri and Alexa be programmed with social work values, knowledge, critical thinking, and communication skills? Is this the “new” social worker of the future? Can SocBots learn and adapt to provide better, more ethical services?
Tag Archives: Social Care
The Future of Adult Learning in Social Care – News | City & Guilds
What is commissioning?
An interesting piece reflecting on models and iterations of commissioning in theory and practice – including lots of diagrams.
Does it remain the chosen path?
Source: https://chosen-path.org/2020/08/28/what-is-commissioning/
‘Sometimes being invisible isn’t helpful’
by Jim Thomas, Skills for Care
Whilst being invisible is a good thing from a support perspective, I have started to wonder if invisibility gets in the way of the improving the general public’s perspective of social care. If you don’t notice social care workers, why would you see the need to value what they do?
Read in full at the official blog of BMJ Leader: https://blogs.bmj.com/bmjleader/2021/09/19/sometimes-being-invisible-isnt-helpful-by-jim-thomas/
Covering the Court of Protection – a journalist’s take
This is an account of why and how journalists’ reports of hearings are typically so different from the pieces written by bloggers for projects like the Open Justice Court of Protection Project.
Covering the Court of Protection – a journalist’s take
Developing effective commissioner–provider relationships
Vic Citarella – a post that first appeared on RiPfA website on the 9th March 2017
As everyone seeks to squeeze more out of the social care system, how can strong and positive relationships lead to improved and more cost-effective working practices?
I have recently authored a Strategic Briefing for RiPfA on effective commissioner-provider relationships and facilitated a workshop on the same topic. I will also be leading their upcoming open access webinar ‘developing effective commissioner-provider relationships’ (28 March, 12-1pm, online). As part of my approach to gather evidence relating to this work, I began by asking some initial questions. I found it helpful to test out some of the underlying assumptions, namely that:
- there is a problem
- the relationship that matters is the one between the commissioner and the provider
- such relationships have character – effective, strong and positive – which can be improved
- there is an answer to the problem.
Problem – what problem?
Clearly social care is experiencing unprecedented financial pressures which is characterised as a problem or even a ‘crisis’. RiPfA identified this as a key issue back in 2012 in the publication: How to maintain safe, effective and quality services with reducing resources.
The underlying assumption is that integral to the problem are poor relationships between commissioners and providers. Community Care and the Guardian certainly think so. The guidance and toolkits say so. If only commissioners and providers got on better, they could make the money go further and people in need would get what they want. Implicit in this assumption, and reinforced in the Care Act 2014 guidance (Chapter 4), is that it is for the commissioner to do something about this problem. They have the money, the power and are the public authority.
But is this in fact the case? Does the responsibility lie at their door? The forthcoming webinar offers an opportunity to check this out.
A many-faceted relationship
Perhaps a more worrying assumption is that the relationship we are talking about involves just the two parties – commissioner and provider. But social care is patently a more complex system involving lots of people, organisations and stakeholders. Relationships between two people are hard enough. Imagine how much more convoluted relationships are in the multi-agency, multi-professional and multi-faceted world of social care.
The webinar session will try to unpick some of these relationship interactions and dynamics, and look at common purpose, co-production and role clarity. We will look at ideas around stakeholder mapping, user-led approaches and person-centred coordinated care.
The character of a relationship
That a strong relationship is a positive one and leads to more effective services is another assumption we can test. From there we can explore what steps can be made to build strength in relationships. How we turn our social care values into commissioning and service providing practice is the proving ground for the customers.
Clearly trust and communication are at the heart of all kinds of relationship building – but what do you actually do to make these things happen? The webinar will also look at how the behaviours of the participants in the commissioner-provider relationship can be (positively) developed, drawing on examples that have been tried involving individuals, groups and organisations in a variety of settings and formats.
A problem demands a solution
Lastly there is an assumption that there is an answer to the problems of poor commissioner-provider relationships. There is no sure-fire formula for success. Like personal relationships, those in business and between organisations require continuous work (and as with personal relationships there are online quizzes to evaluate the partners’ starting point and where they want to go with a business relationship, for example: http://www.growthink.com/content/finding-business-partner-take-quiz). In fact, the similarities between the advice offered by relationship counsellors and business gurus is quite remarkable. Writ large are trust, open communication and respect.
What we will examine during the webinar is ways for commissioners and providers to work together, how to make the time, and some methods that have been found to work. We will consider approaches to procurement and contracting as procedural processes to cement relationships, to record agreements where the players may change and to cater for endings and failures as well as success.
If you are a commissioner or service provider (of any kind – registered/not registered/large/small/private/voluntary), please do join us at the webinar on 28 March. As we are looking at relationships between commissioners and providers in social care then it would be beneficial if people who have worked together in these roles could participate jointly (although this may of course not be possible). People who use services and/or directly commission for their own needs are very welcome to attend.
If you have any thoughts or questions, please email me in advance at vic.citarella@cpea.co.uk– although I am not offering relationship counselling!
About the author
Vic Citarella is a qualified social worker and a former Director of Social Services. He now works with local authorities, NHS bodies, private and voluntary social care providers, to help them improve standards and quality of services.
Related resources
Developing effective commissioner provider relationships: Webinar (28 March 2017, 12-1pm, online)
Workforce retention?
Richard Banks looks ahead to this year’s Skills for Care conference where the focus will be on recruitment and retention of the social care workforce.
David Mowat MP, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Community Health and Care, voted as did most Conservative MPs, against guaranteeing EU citizens rights to stay in the UK ahead of the ‘Article 50’ negotiations. If passed the amendment would have ensured that all EU citizens legally living in the UK on 23 June 2016 (the date of the EU referendum) would have their right to stay and work protected.
Across the UK EU nationals comprise around 4.95% of the staff in NHS trusts and Clinical Commissioning Groups, and 5% of the UK social care workforce[1]. In England, there are 1.43 million people in the social care workforce[2] – The Cavendish Coalition[3]estimate that there are 90,000 EU nationals in employment – this is around 7 % of social care workforce. [4]
So, 90,000 people working in England in social care are now uncertain of their future as social care workers and as residents, along with their families, of the UK. Horrible for them and how can any of us imagine how we might reassure our relatives supported and cared for by these people?
The social care sector in England has difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff; there are about 90,000 job vacancies[5]. All indications are that the need for increased levels of social care support will require a continued growth in the workforce.
Dodging responsibility
Respect and support for the social care workforce might be the least one might expect from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Community Health and Care sadly this has not been the case. Recently, in attempting to dodge responsibility for the Government’s social care funding crisis, David Mowat blamed uncaring families. In doing so he not only insulted families but also implied that social care was an unskilled occupation that any family member might do. With the EU amendment vote last week he went further and completely dismissed the importance of 90,000 social care staff.
So, it will be interesting to hear what messages David Mowat will have when he speaks at the Skills for Care Conference entitled Recruitment and retention: the road to success (Thursday 9 March in Liverpool). Social care conference participants are remarkably unmoved by banal government representatives (almost as if they expect no better). Let’s hope that on this occasion David Mowat can explain how he has a plan to support social care recruitment and retention. He might even manage to show some respect for the social care workforce who surely are an example for the Conservative slogan of being for ‘hard working people’
[4]Evidence to the SUBMISSION TO HOUSE OF LORDS EU INTERNAL MARKET SUB-COMMITTEE https://www.adass.org.uk/media/5653/cavendish-coalition-house-of-lords-inquiry-eu-internal-market-sub-committee.pdf
Of the overall percentage, the detailed breakdown shows geographical variances:
· 22,000 staff in London – 12% of workforce;
· 23,000 in the south east – 10% of workforce.
· There are a higher proportion of EU nationals in regulated professions, e.g. nursing, than managerial posts.
[5]Skills for Care 2017 Conference information
Support the workforce don’t blame the families
Richard Banks makes the case for investment in the social care workforce
David Mowat the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Community Health and Care recently questioned why it was that care of older people is not seen as naturally the role of families in the same way as care of children is viewed. Whilst this raises several issues, it particularly appears to show limited understanding of the nature of social care for older people. Actually, social care is provided only to people with very particular needs that for the majority of families are beyond their capacity to deal with. David Mowat seems under a delusion that social care is in crisis because resources are spent on simple support tasks. The reality is of physical frailty and dementia that are beyond the capacity of even the most dedicated and caring family. He did go on to show some understanding of the numbers of ‘informal’ carers and their position particularly in relation to employment. Clearly the comments were based on his struggle to say some thing, any thing, in the face of the government created crisis facing social care and the NHS.
Defending the Indefensible
The demographic issues of our population, the lack of any proper response to the resource needs and the position of carers have been known for the last two decades. David Mowat MP for Warrington South occupying a post that has been down-graded from Minister of State is the current defender of the indefensible.
Part of this problem is that government(s) in England has resisted any attempt to recognise the social care workforce. If he had any knowledge or respect for the skills, knowledge and understanding of social care staff he would not have made such a crass statement.
Things are not perfect in other parts of the UK but at least the importance of the workforce is recognised The Welsh Government have announced that social care workers will register from 2020, Northern Ireland have confirmed similar plans and Scotland made it compulsory for care home staff to register, with a register opening for domiciliary care workers in 2017. The administrations of the other parts of the UK clearly see registration as an import part of establishing social care work as a valued professional activity. Sadly in England social care has remained as a low skill, low pay occupation not worthy of registration and as a result it struggles to recruit and retain staff. While employers and programmes promoted by Skills for Care (such as apprenticeships) are making progress in recruiting people they do so against a background of confused and incoherent policy from Government that leaves staff underpaid and cut off from establishing a professional status.
It is now more than 16 years since the Care Standards Act 2000 provided for the registration of social care staff in residential and home care services for children, adults and older people. England now stands as the only part of the UK that does not use registration to support the professional competence of care staff and to contribute to the safeguarding of people who depend on care staff. Labour, Conservative-led coalition and the Conservative administrations have all failed to create a registration system for the 1.7 million staff working in social care. Yet the Government has just announced a spend of up to £16m between now and 2020 on what will be the third registration authority in 20 years for the 90,069 (01/12/16 HCPC) social workers
Social care is a big employer. It employs more people than construction, the food and drink service industries and several recognised large sector employers. It is strange then that the workforce is either ignored or patronised by government. Even stranger since it is one of the few areas of growth in employment. The social care sector has about 6.4% of total English workforce and staffing demand is set to rise over the next 30 years. The debate about the rise in the minimum wage (and change of name to ‘Living Wage\’) and effect of social care again illustrate the complete lack of understanding in government about how social care is organised. They make no provision for the increased wage bill only latterly allowing local authorities to increase local tax in two piecemeal fuddled policy changes. That increase will not cover the existing funding gap identified by the Local Government Association or the increasing costs of supporting the NHS that fall on to social care budgets.
Recruitment crisis warning
There is a warning from the last decade when there was a narrowly avoided crisis for adult social care. Recruitment of staff became almost impossible in some areas due to better conditions offered by other industries. Residential care homes could not fully open and home care services could not recruit or retain sufficient staff to cope with demand. Services to people in need began to suffer as they are again currently. The availability of staff from the new members of the EU saved the day in terms of numbers (there were issues about skills and language). There were additionally staff from overseas recruited by employment agencies (that had previously provided staff to the NHS).
By 2009 the redundancies related to the economic crisis had ‘freed’ more people looking for work and the crisis of recruitment subsided. There is now again a crisis of recruitment but this time amplified by the start of the well-predicted increase in need as our population ages. This time with Brexit related fear about the status of EU nationals working in this country and other tighter restrictions on immigration there may be further collapse of social care provision due to lack of staff.
In parts of London over Christmas the home care sector was unable to support the discharge of older people from hospital. The predicted social care crisis preventing the discharge of patients and the lack of support services to prevent the need for hospital care in the first place is now happening. The problem is not just of numbers but of skills – it takes time and investment to train and qualify social care staff able to work safely and to create personalised support for people.
All of the problems with social care funding and workforce have been communicated to Government over many years but there has been no policy and no action. Rather than attempting to shift responsibility David Mowat needs to start working to invest properly in the social care workforce. This requires proper pay, funded training and setting up a register that ensures we have a safe and competent workforce for the future.
Marketing your health and social care business
If it’s good enough for Mo Farah!
Guest Blogger Cedi Frederick, former social care Chief Executive and now Managing Director of Article Consulting Ltd challenges the sector to invest in coaching for Registered Managers
It’s generally accepted that the job of the Registered Manager is the toughest in social care bar none! No other job comes with the relentless pressure, the ever increasing expectations and in real terms the ever decreasing resources; be that people or money! At its best it’s hugely rewarding, but at its worst it can break even the most resilient of individuals. In 2013 in a response to the growing number of Registered Manager vacancies, the CQC imposed tough penalties on organisations who failed to fill the 2,439 Registered Manager vacancies that existed and miraculously between November 2013 and April 2014, 1395 manager vacancies were filled, with 470 registration applications lodged with the CQC. I wondered then, as I wonder now how many of those appointments were really up to the toughest job in social care and how many of those managers appointed then are still Registered Managers today?
I have led many management and leadership workshops and training sessions for Registered Managers and there’s a slide I always use to illustrate the expectations placed on them. It shows the faces of Oprah Winfrey, Mahatma Ghandi, Margaret Thatcher, Anita Roddick, Winston Churchill, Richard Branson, Albert Einstein and……Paul Daniels! So, the ideal Registered Manager needs to have Oprah’s empathy, Ghandi’s wisdom, Thatcher’s toughness, Roddick’s entrepreneurial spirit, Churchill’s leadership, Branson’s business savvy, Einstein’s brains and like Paul Daniels, a Manager needs to be able to pull rabbits out of hats! A lot to expect of one person? Yes, it is, but we’ve seen how a great Registered Manager can turn a failing care home around, but we’ve seen how a home that was previously well run and delivering great outcomes can slowly fail following the appointment of a Manager who is not up to the job!
Skills for Careand the National Care Forum are doing great work to support Registered Managers to improve their management and leadership skills and knowledge. They are to be applauded for their efforts, as are the organisations that invest in their Managers training and support. But it’s not enough. Care providers need to invest as much, if not more in Managers’ emotional and psychological well-being as they do in their managerial competencies. I believe that thousands of Managers are burnt out and struggling to get through each day in a job that has changed beyond all recognition. Many are of an age where they’re just holding on, hoping to see out their careers without a major incident in their homes that would threaten their future employment at a time when they believe that changing career would be virtually impossible.
So, how should organisations respond? By providing every Registered Manager with a Personal Performance Coach.
It would be inconceivable that a top sportsman or woman could maximise their performance and achieve the highest success without a coach. More and more executives including CEO’s are benefiting from coaching, so why aren’t organisations who are increasingly recognising that their success rests on the shoulders of their Registered Managers considering the benefits of coaching for this crucial group of staff. The guaranteed return on that investment? More resilient, more confident, less fearful and less stressed Managers, better able to handle the constant pressure they face, more likely to become better leaders, better able to manage change and deliver transformation. Personal coaching, alongside more formal management and leadership training will improve a Manager’s performance which will lead to greater staff engagement, greater trust and confidence between a Manager and their staff which in turn leads to lower staff turnover and sickness and ultimately better service delivery.
Depending on the needs of the individual Manager, a coaching programme could take from a few weeks to a year or more. These 1-1 sessions could be held face-to-face, over the phone or even online with Managers expected to undertake some personal work between sessions. A coach is a catalyst for change in an individual. They don’t do the work, but they hold their client to account for doing the work themselves.
Providing a Registered Manager with a coach may save an organisation thousands of pounds per home each year. Why wouldn’t they do it?
Cpeanose 