Mandatory Training for Health and Social Care Providers - A Comprehensive Guide for CQC Regulated Organisations.

The NHS and other healthcare and social care organisations remain steadfast in their mission to promote and encourage individuals to acquire a healthy life and well-being. They will continue to provide statutory and mandatory training notwithstanding resources and time limitations. This article outlines guidance across health and social care, including tips for other sector specialisms.

What do we mean by mandatory training?

It has become conventional for organisations to use the term mandatory training in addressing both mandatory and statutory training. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has a useful distinction between statutory and mandatory training.

What is statutory training?

Statutory training is the training that an organisation is legally required to provide as defined by law or where a statutory body has instructed organisations to provide training on the basis of legislation.

What is mandatory training?

Mandatory training is the training that is determined essential by an organisation for the safe and efficient running in order to reduce organisational risks and comply with local policies, in line with legislation, regulations and best practice recommendations.

The term mandatory training will be used all throughout this article to establish its intents and purposes. We will also outline the topics that are covered in both mandatory and statutory training.

Care Quality Commission and mandatory training

There are always interrogatories on whether they set out precise mandatory training requirements for health and social care providers. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) does not provide an exact program for mandatory training for health and social care professionals. Depending on the different roles and responsibilities of their staff, care providers are held accountable for recognising which specific mandatory and additional training they do need to meet and satisfy the varying needs and demands of their patients/service users.

Following their key question concerning how effective a provider is, CQC have high regards to staff training. The key line of enquiry (KLOE) E3 explicitly reinforces whether or not the “staff have the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment”. All health and social care providers are required, under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 Regulation 18: Staffing. Service providers must have sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, competent, skilled and experienced staff to meet the needs of the people using the service at all times.

During an inspection, the CQC team will look at whether staff have the qualifications, experience and expertise to do their specific functions:

• when they start their employment
• when they take on new responsibilities
• on an on-going basis

The Care Quality Commission inspectors look at how the care provider identifies the learning needs of the staff. They also analyse whether they have had appropriate training to satisfy their learning needs and cover the extent of their work.

Given that they do not have a distinct program for mandatory training, here is a list of training which CQC would expect to see evidence of:

• basic life support
• infection prevention and control
• fire safety training
• Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
• training to the appropriate level of safeguarding adults at risk and safeguarding children.

Care providers may be required to demonstrate training for clinical staff that is in correlation with their specific clinical duties. For example, the nursing staff in a general practice (GP practice) could be administering vaccines, taking samples for the cervical screening programme and showing extended roles in treating both minor illness and long-term conditions.

Role of the Care Quality Commission

The CQC is held accountable for checking whether hospitals, care homes, GPs, dentists and services registered with them are meeting national standards. To ensure compliance with the mandatory obligations, health and social care providers may check and monitor the CQC website which proffers guidance on the requirements.

They do this by inspecting services and publishing their findings, helping people to make choices about the care they receive. To see more information on their requirements for training in the health and social care sectors, please visit their website: http://www.cqc.org.uk/.

Health and safety policies and training

Health, safety and welfare in the workplace does not just happen on its own accord. Careful planning and implementation are critical. Thus, the need for further staff training. Necessary types of equipment for safety and security must be purchased and maintained regularly. Successful health and social care companies recognise that precise supervision of health and safety is as vital as any other part of the business. It is not only a legal duty but makes a good economic sense.

For more information on the mandatory training for health and social care providers offered by The Mandatory Training Group and how they can help in finding the right training courses for any field of business, please send an Email. Or alternatively, call 024 7610 0090 and speak with one of our training Consultants.

Skills for Health UK Core Skills Training Framework

To help harmonise mandatory training for NHS and healthcare workers, Skills for Health developed the Statutory/Mandatory Core Skills Training Framework.

The CSTF provides an efficient framework upon which training can follow. The subjects in the statutory/mandatory Core Skills Training Framework are as follows:

• Equality, Diversity and Human Rights
• Health, Safety and Welfare
• NHS Conflict Resolution
• Fire Safety
• Infection Prevention and Control
• Moving and Handling
• Safeguarding Adults
• Preventing Radicalisation
• Safeguarding Children
• Resuscitation
• Information Governance.

The clinical/care subjects in the UK Core Skills Training Framework are:

• Your healthcare career
• Duty of care
• Person-centred care
• Communication
• Consent
• Privacy and dignity
• Fluids and nutrition
• Dementia awareness
• Blood component transfusion

These core skills and subjects all play a pivotal role in the smooth, dynamic and effective running of any healthcare organisation. Whether staff are being trained for the first time or having their skills refreshed, the continuing knowledge and techniques provided all hold vital importance in the safety and level of care provided to patients.

Skills for Health have also launched specialist core skills training frameworks in the following topics:

• Dementia Core Skills Education and Training Framework (England)
• Learning Disabilities Core Skills Education and Training Framework
• Mental Health Core Skills Education and Training Framework
• End of Life Care Core Skills Education and Training Framework.

Mandatory training adapted to the workplace

In addition to the guidelines from Skills for Health’s Core Skills Framework mandatory training needs to adapt and accommodate the demands of the individual workplace, with prepared guidelines for specialist health and care sectors. The Mandatory Training Group helps health and social care organisations to carry out their training needs assessments, developing local policies and procedures and implementing appropriate training programs to meet legislative and regulatory requirements.

In many pieces of legislation relevant to the health and social care sector, employers are required to provide their employees with instruction and training; Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order (2005), Manual Handling Operations Regulations (1992), Equality Act (2010), Data Protection Act (1998), Medical Devices (Amendment) Regulations ( 2005), Mental Capacity Act (2005), Directive 2002/98/EC- blood products, Food Safety Act (1990) and the Freedom of Information Act (2000) to name but a few.

In addition to the compliance of the CQC requirements, health care providers must secure proper induction and provision of learning and development for the staff to help them carry out their respective roles effectively. They must also ensure Health Care Assistants are to complete the care certificate during their induction period.

Often referred to as 'mandatory training', this training must take place for the compliance with the legislation, the CQC and best practice guidance.

Difficulties providing mandatory training

The provision of mandatory training can be a logistical nightmare; releasing staff to participate in the training and accommodating shift workers, recognising past and new knowledge rather than just recording attendance. It can also be notably expensive.

To administer a one-hour session is difficult. Most training providers want at least half a day to deliver their topics, often more in-depth than what is required by the legislation, the CQC and best practice guidelines. These sessions cost upwards of £500 each on average. Consequently, the non-clinical staff needs at least 8 areas and at least 20 for the qualified staff. Additionally, one session per topic would cost £10,000. For an organisation with 120 staff, face-to-cafe training would cost them more than £60,000.

Employers could choose to develop this course in-house, providing their staff has the necessary expertise. There will still be expenses for developing and delivering the sessions. The Mandatory Training Group helps health and social care organisations to develop in-house expertise to deliver mandatory training.

The cost of releasing staff to attend taught sessions is at an average of £9.00/hour. For a team of 50 to participate in 20 hour-long sessions would be £9,000 per year.

Many healthcare providers use eLearning for mandatory training and tap into the Core Learning Unit (core mandatory courses). However, this is sometimes not specific to the organisations and does not cover all the required topic areas.

Commissioning a bespoke eLearning is expensive for small organisations wherein many among the staff have difficulty accessing computers and do not have the confidence in IT to complete e-learning.

Skills for Health CSTF aligned mandatory training

The Mandatory Training Group provides healthcare mandatory and statutory training that is aligned to the Skills for Health CSTF. The practical subjects covered in the UK SCTF (moving and handling and resuscitation) should be completed annually.  Click on the link below to find out more about this course:

Mandatory + Statutory Training 'Skills for Health' CSTF Annual Practical Training Day.

How do I book for the CSTF mandatory training?

To book for the Skills for Health CSTF mandatory training, contact our Support Team on 024 7610 0090 or via Email.

Which type of mandatory training do I need?

Most nursing/locum agencies and employers now insist that healthcare professionals complete mandatory and statutory training that is aligned to the Skills for Health UK Core Skills Training Framework. The content of this training course holds verification by Skills for Health as aligning to the UK Core Skills Training Framework.

Those who would like to do the 'All in One Day' Mandatory Training Course may do so. However, it does not align with the Skills for Health UK Coke Skills Training Framework. The top recommendation is for them to choose the 'Skills for Health Aligned CSTF' Mandatory + Statutory Training. Organisations should establish the type of training that is suitable for their staff. The Mandatory Training Group will not accept responsibility if you choose the wrong type of training.

Who is the CSTF mandatory training for?

All healthcare professionals whether part time, bank or locum staff, full time or agency workers working in NHS Trusts and private hospitals should complete CSTF aligned mandatory training.

Mandatory and statutory training is a yearly refresher training and is not suitable for candidates who have no prior healthcare experience. We recommend that organisations ensure that all new staff complete appropriate induction training instead.

CSTF aligned practical mandatory training day

This classroom-based statutory/mandatory training day includes the essential practical elements of manual handling/moving and handling and resuscitation. The core mandatory training subjects in the CSTF include:

• CSTF Infection Prevention and Control (Levels 1 and 2)
• CSTF Information Governance, including:
  • Counter fraud
  • Data security awareness
  • GDPR
• CSTF Fire Safety
• CSTF NHS Conflict Resolution, including:
  • Complaints handling
  • Lone Working
• CSTF Safeguarding Adults, including
  • Mental Capacity Act
  • Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
  • The Care Act
• CSTF Moving & Handling (Level 1 and 2)
• CSTF Resuscitation Level 1, including
  • Anaphylaxis
  • Choking
• CSTF Resuscitation - Level 2 - Adult Basic Life Support
• CSTF Resuscitation - Level 3 - Adult Immediate Life Support

Optional CSTF aligned subjects

• CSTF Resuscitation - Level 2 - Paediatric Basic Life Support
• CSTF Resuscitation - Level 3 - Paediatric Immediate Life Support
• CSTF Resuscitation - Level 2 - New-born Basic Life Support
• CSTF Resuscitation - Level 3 - New-born Immediate Life Support

* The Mandatory Training Group will provide the optional mandatory training modules shown above on the day at no extra cost. Some nursing staff will require these modules depending upon the nature of their work. Those delegates who do not need these may leave before these modules start.

Free CSTF mandatory training modules

During completion on a practical day, login details will be given via email to access the CSTF aligned eLearning modules free of charge.

E-learning Modules (required every three years)

The Mandatory Training Group also provides the following online mandatory training modules:

• CSTF Health, Safety and Welfare
• CSTF Equality, Diversity and Human Rights
• CSTF Safeguarding Children Level 1 & 2
• CSTF Preventing Radicalisation

Optional e-learning modules

The following eLearning modules are role dependant and frequency varies depending on organisational requirements:

• CSTF Blood Component Transfusion
• CSTF Safeguarding Children Level 3
• MTG Food Hygiene/Food Safety
• MTG Medication Awareness
• MTG Physical Restraint Awareness

MTG Clinical/Care Skills

The following online health and social care subjects are also available:

• Your Healthcare Career
• Duty of Care
• Privacy and Dignity
• Person Centred Care
• Communication
• Consent
• Fluids and Nutrition
• Dementia Awareness

All in one-day mandatory training courses

The 'All in One Day' Mandatory Training Course is available from The Mandatory Training Group for all health and social care providers who are ‘off-framework’ (those who are not on the NHS procurement frameworks). It is critical to determine the mandatory training that is required for your organisation before booking.

Determining the type of mandatory training you need

NHS Trusts, nursing/medical locum agencies and purchasing organisations now insist on mandatory training aligned to the 'Skills for Health' Core Skills Training Framework (NOT the All in One Day Mandatory Training). Click on the link below to find out more:

Statutory and Mandatory Training - Skills for Health Aligned Training.

Health and social care recruitment agencies should determine the type of mandatory they require to fulfill requirements set out by commissioners and regulators. The Mandatory Training Group will not be liable if you select the incorrect mandatory training course.

Who is the all in one day mandatory training for?

All healthcare professionals whether part time or full time or agency workers. Mandatory + Statutory Training is a yearly refresher training and is not suitable for candidates who have no prior healthcare experience.

All in one day mandatory training content

The Mandatory Training Group has developed the ‘all in one day mandatory training course’ for 'off framework' agencies and private health and social care organisations. This statutory and mandatory training course covers the following modules:

• Equality and Diversity
• Health, Safety and Welfare at Work (including RIDDOR)
• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
• Information Governance (Including Caldicott Principles and GDPR)
• Fire Safety Awareness
• Infection Prevention and Control
• Food Hygiene/Food Safety Awareness
• Manual Handling/Moving and Handling (Includes practical session)
• Basic Life Support including CPR and AED - (Includes practical session)
• Safeguarding Adults at Risk (Level 1 & 2)
• Safeguarding Children (Level 1 & 2)
• Conflict Management
• Lone Working Awareness

Variations for care home mandatory training

It is vital for care home providers to ensure that their staff are appropriately qualified, experienced and competent. The topics for mandatory training (care staff) are connected with the Care Certificate, including additional training for supplementary topics such as the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health, Caldicott Principles and Food Hygiene. 

As those working in care homes often go beyond the role of nursing to provide extra support and care to patients, it is especially crucial that they understand aspects such as food safety.

Fire safety and infection control awareness both play significant roles in keeping care homes safe and secure. Illnesses, bacteria and viruses could be fatal. It is vital for care providers and personnel to ensure the people under their care that their lives are in good hands, particularly during an emergency. Care staff who have not completed the right mandatory training and management procedures will be subject to immediate enforcement and legal actions.

Mandatory Training and the Care Certificate

The Care Certificate is a set standard for health and social care workers produced with the aim of standardising introductory skills, knowledge and behaviours. The goal is to ensure compassionate, safe and high-quality care. More information is available here.

The 2013 Cavendish Review found that the preparation of healthcare assistants and social care support workers for their roles providing care was inconsistent. The report recommended the development of a Certificate of Fundamental Care – the “Care Certificate”.

The Care Certificate is for new staff as part of induction. The Care Certificate is not mandatory per se, but there is still an expectation. The Care Quality Commission will look to ensure that whatever the organisation is doing with its training that covers the requirements of the Care Certificate.

This primary audience is Healthcare Support Workers or Adult Social Care Workers. These fields consist of Health Care Assistants, Assistant Practitioners, Care Support Workers and those giving support to clinical roles in the NHS where there is any direct contact with patients. “Care Support Workers” include the following:

• Health Care Assistants
• Assistant Practitioners
• Those giving support to clinical roles with direct patient contact

Care Support Workers consisting of the following:

• Adult Social Care workers in residential, nursing homes and hospices.
• Home care workers,
• Domiciliary care staff

Other social care roles include:

• Caring volunteers
• Porters
• Cooks
• Drivers with direct contact with patients/ service users.

Mandatory training for care homes

Mandatory training for care homes vary depending on the services provided. The expertise to deliver high-quality care within care homes is very vital. Thus, it is imperative to maintain high standards, motivate the staff and produce additional training for its personnel.

Some members of the staff will always be reluctant to participate in training. However, they should not be as it is part of their everyday work.

Care homes provide care to vulnerable individuals. The quality of care provided is determined by the staff within the service – many of whom are care assistants. The Care Standards Act 2000 (standard 28) requires three days of annual training for care home staff.

Quick Links to training courses we offer for UK care homes:

• Health and Safety awareness training
• Food Hygiene
• Manual Handling or/and Moving and Handling of People
• Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults
• Managing Challenging Behaviour
• Infection Control
• Emergency First Aid at Work
• Equality, Diversity and Human Rights
• Buccal Midazolam and Epilepsy awareness Training
• Buccal Midazolam administrating Training

Mandatory training requirements for care homes

Annual mandatory training courses for care homes must include fire safety, moving and handling, and health and safety. There is an expectation that at least one person who has had first aid training will cover every shift. It is a huge but necessary expectation for both the staff and care home.

Which training courses are mandatory for care homes?

So, which training courses are mandatory for care homes? This answer is not straightforward. The mandatory training requirements vary depending on the size of the care home and its services, including the outcome from its own risk assessment.

Regulation 23 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 states:

“The registered person must have suitable arrangements in place in order to ensure that persons employed for the purposes of carrying on the regulated activity are appropriately supported in relation to their responsibilities, to enable them to deliver care and treatment to service users safely and to an appropriate standard by:

1. Receiving appropriate training, professional development, supervision and appraisal; and
2. Being enabled, from time to time, to obtain further qualifications appropriate to the work they perform”.

Outcome 14 is the outcome that CQC uses to ensure a service meets the requirements stipulated in Regulation 23 and these states:

“People who use services:

Are safe and their health and welfare needs are met by competent staff

This is because providers who comply with the regulations will:

• Ensure that staff are properly supported to provide care and treatment to people who use services.
• Ensure that staff are properly trained, supervised and appraised.
• Enable staff to acquire further skills and qualifications that are relevant to the work they undertake”.

The common mandatory courses for a care home would be:

• Health and Safety awareness training
• Food Hygiene
• Manual Handling or/and Moving and Handling of People
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults or Safeguarding Children
• Infection Control
• Emergency First Aid at Work 

This list could also include Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards training. Fire Safety training is not mentioned in this list as this would result, where required, from the organisation’s statutory Fire Risk Assessment.

These courses also reflect and address many of the Common Induction Framework objectives. Professional registration and development requirements relate to Medicines Administration for Qualified Nurses and Supervision, Care Planning and Report Writing training.

The key is to enable staff to take part in learning and development that is relevant and appropriate so that they can carry out their role effectively.

Training needs assessment for nursing homes

In a care home setting, it is vital for care assistants and nurses to participate in training and continuous learning. To be able to provide high-quality care, it is essential to motivate the staff and maintain high standards.

Nowadays, care home residents experience more complex illnesses with high levels of health and social need. Nurses and care staff working in care homes do not have regular access to NHS training opportunities and can, therefore, lose practice and confidence in professional nursing skills. Consequently, some care home residents may have unmet health needs and may be admitted to hospital unnecessarily.

Registered nurses working in care homes are now required to complete the following training courses:

• Venepuncture
• Catheterisation
• End of life care
• Verification of death and
• Emergency response

Senior carers and carers in care homes are required to complete mandatory training that covers the following:

• Application of the NHS England 6Cs
• The bestcare for long-term conditions, and
• Mental Capacity Act
• Managing challenging behaviour.

Care homes should continuously assess their need and up-skill the staff, for them to be confident in managing the health and well-being of their residents. Thus, reduces unnecessary interventions by the NHS services.

Benefits of care home staff training

To residents: better and safer care with more support in their place of residence and less chance of having to go to a hospital.

To care homes and staff: staff with updated knowledge and skills, improved confidence and well-being and the ability to offer safer care, including improved safety record and less reliance on NHS services.

To local NHS Trusts: lessened care home reliance on NHS services, fewer non-elective and emergency hospital admissions from care homes, reduced costs and pressure on NHS staff.

Challenges facing care homes

Sustainability- There is a need for rolling training programmes to guarantee that skills stay up to date and high regard for staff turn-over.

In the current financial climate, there are limited Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) resources to support this. Therefore, the mandatory and other training courses form a significant cost for care homes. Staffing constraints in care homes make it difficult for some staff to attend.

Mandatory training for residential homes

There are often reports that mandatory training for residential care homes has not met the Care Quality Commission requirements.

Care Quality Commission

The CQC is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. It provides extensive guidance to help providers comply with regulations. The full content is accessible here.

In terms of staffing, the CQC requires health and social care providers to:

• have sufficient numbers of workers who are suitably qualified and competent, with the necessary skills and experience to meet the needs of the individuals receiving support
• provide care staff with support, training, professional development, supervision and appraisals that are necessary for them to carry out their role and responsibilities
• support care staff to obtain further qualifications and provide evidence, where required, to the appropriate regulator to show that they meet the professional standards needed to continue to practice

The CQC has the powers to take regulatory action such as refusing registration should these elements not be in place or if social care providers fail to provide satisfactory evidence that they will continue to comply.

Mandatory training for social care workers

Health and social care workers require adequate induction training and annual refresher training to ensure that they remain up to date with recommended practice and regulatory requirements. Training is defined as mandatory if it meets one or more of the following criteria: 

• It is a statutory requirement (such as the Health and Safety at Work Act)
• All staff across the organisation requires the training
• It is a CQC or local authority requirement

The most common mandatory training subjects for care homes include:

• Health and Safety
• Fire Safety
• Equality, Diversity and Human Rights
• Infection, Prevention and Control
• Manual Handling
• Food Hygiene/Food Safety Awareness 
• Safeguarding Adults
• Safeguarding Children

The full list of mandatory training requirements for an organisation depends on the services it provides, as well as the organisation’s type and size. All care organisations have a legal responsibility to provide staff with Health & Safety awareness training, including Fire Safety. Moving and Handling training is also mandatory. If healthcare workers are involved in preparing or assisting at meal times then, Food Safety and Hygiene training will be necessary. Additional mandatory training requirements might include Data Protection/Information Governance and Complaints Handling.

The Mandatory Training Group offers mandatory braining bundles for both the Home Care and Care Home sectors which includes training for all these subjects at a discounted price. 

Importantly, there is a difference between those courses considered mandatory for an organisation and the courses it must provide to be able to issue a Care Certificate to an individual. To receive a Care Certificate, staff members need to train in and achieve minimum pass marks in ALL 15 Care Certificate standards. However, only those topics in the 15 Standards relating to the service provision provided by the organisation are mandatory for the organisation itself.

Mandatory Training for Hospices

What is the rationale for the provision of mandatory training in hospices?

Mandatory training for hospices include the following training courses:

• Care Quality Commission Awareness
• Fire Safety
• In Case of Emergency
• Health, Safety and Welfare at Work
• Risk Management
• Manual Handling- Generic
• Information Governance/GDPR
• Equality and Diversity
• Principles of the End of Life Care
• Communication Essentials
• Infection Prevention and Control
• Safeguarding Adults
• Safeguarding Children
• Widening Access
• Suicide Risk Awareness
• Food Hygiene/Food Safety
• Nutrition and Hydration
• Respecting and Involving Service Users
• Consent and Capacity
• Patient Handling
• Care Planning
• Medicines Management
• Palliative Care Emergencies
• Blood Transfusion
• Medical Equipment
• Syringe Pumps

The Mandatory Training Group provides three types of learning pathways aimed at specific staff groups as follows:

• Core Mandatory Training- Mandatory Training for all staff - All sections listed above up to Food Hygiene
• Clinical Mandatory Training- Mandatory Training for clinical staff - All sections listed above up to Medicine Management
• Mandatory Training for Healthcare Professionals - Mandatory Training for qualified staff - All sections listed above

Although the content is generic, certain aspects are organisation specific which the purchasing organisation can modify.

Administration of hospice mandatory training
The administration of mandatory training is organisation specific. Detailed below are key points describing how some hospices have chosen to conduct mandatory training.

The mandatory training workbook is printed and given annually to existing staff and all new starters on commencement in a post. The staff complete the workbook within three months and return it for evaluation. Marking is carried out in the Education Department by supervised volunteers. If the staff does not pass the knowledge assessment, they will receive written feedback with directions as to the page they need to read. They are required to read the appropriate section and answer the question again. As all answers are in the main content of the session, there are only a few easily identifiable errors. Completed knowledge assessments will be in the safekeeping of personnel files for 12 months. Volunteers are provided with a workbook relevant to their role but are not required to complete the knowledge assessments. Medical Equipment knowledge is also in the workbook, supported by practical skills demonstration. The use of medical devices is assessed using competency checklists by key staff in each department.

Mandatory training variations for hospices

All clinical staff have to endure 3 days of mandatory training per year, two days of face-to-face training and a day of online training. The programme is revised and updated on a yearly basis to secure that the staff have the right knowledge and skills to provide safe, effective, and compassionate care.

The programme includes statutory training such as Health and Safety, Fire Evacuation, Resuscitation, and Anaphylaxis, the use of a Defibrillator, People Manual Handling, Infection Control and Managing Medicines. This year, they have added interactive workshop sessions on Spiritual Support and Working with Families, Communication skills, Equality and Diversity, and Bereavement Support.

Furthermore, the staff completed additional online training modules that support the workshop days. These include:

• Safeguarding of Adults
• Mental Capacity Act, and DoLS
• Data Security and Awareness training (IG)
• Specific Health and Safety modules and
• Equality and Diversity.

Mandatory training for domiciliary care providers

Which training courses are mandatory for domiciliary care workers?

The Mandatory Training Group receives a considerable number of calls from clients who wish to purchase the list of 'Mandatory Courses' for social care staff. This topic is causing a fair amount of confusion in the sector which is why they hope this article will clarify the issue.

Firstly, they want to make this very clear:

“There is no single list, which applies universally to every care provider.”

Training is defined as mandatory if it meets one or more of the following criteria: 

• It is a statutory requirement
• All staff across the organisation require the training
• It is a CQC or local authority requirement.

Please note that the provided guidance written here is for care providers in England. Care providers in the rest of the UK should contact the equivalent bodies in their country.

What is mandatory training for social care?

Mandatory training is the expected training for the staff following statutory requirements such as the Health and Safety at Work Act, the requirements of the local authority, and the requirements specified by the CQC.

All care organisations have a legal responsibility to provide the staff with Health and Safety awareness training, including Fire Safety. They are also expected to provide Moving and Handling training. Consequently, if the staff are involved in preparing or assisting at meal times, Food Safety and Hygiene training are necessary.

The table below highlights the main subjects recognised as mandatory.

Additional domiciliary care training

Optional/additional mandatory training modules include: Food Hygiene/Safety, Complaints Handling, Lone Working Awareness, COSHH, RIDDOR, Awareness of Mental Health, Dementia & Learning Disability, Mental Capacity (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS), PMVA/MAPA (for those working in mental health settings) Documentation and Record Keeping among others depending on your clients' specific requirements or frameworks that you work with.

Domiciliary care mandatory training and the care certificate

There is a difference between the courses that would be considered mandatory for each organisation and the provision of necessary courses to be able to issue a Care Certificate. To receive a Care Certificate, members of the staff will need to train in and achieve minimum pass marks in ALL 15 standards.

For experienced care staff, this will mean updating their knowledge and experience with new and appropriate terminologies and practices. Any new recruits who have never worked in social care before will need to be trained in all 15 standards before providing the Care Certificate.

However, only those topics relating to the service provision which correlate within the 15 Standards are mandatory for the organisation. Run a Training Needs Analysis to determine what these are but if still unsure, please contact Skills for Care and the local authority. They should be able to provide proper guidance. More information is available from the CQC, Skills for Care and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) websites.

The Mandatory Training Group offers a Mandatory Training bundle for both the Home Care and Care Home sectors which includes training for all these subjects at a discounted price. Other than these, the courses considered mandatory for the organisation will entirely depend on the services offered. There may also be additional requirements depending on the local authority.

Mandatory training for GP surgeries

The Mandatory Training Group receives enquiries whether the CQC has set out mandatory training requirements for GP practices. There are many questions relating to mandatory training in general practice, including:

• What training is mandatory for practice staff?
• Does your practice have a list of what it considers to be mandatory training for staff?
• Who really knows what training is mandatory?
• What new mandatory training is on the horizon?
• The CQC does not have a definitive list of mandatory training?

We will now answer some to these questions.

In addition to the Core Skills Training framework, surgeries will have their own strategies in place for their doctors and nurses. Each organisation is expected to provide statutory/mandatory training depending on the needs of the practice and their staff.

It is specified under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 that all health care providers should have sufficient numbers of staff who are highly qualified, skilled and experienced for the visitors to the practice at all times. Expected examples of training at all practices include Basic Life Support, Fire Safety Training, Infection Control, knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. Care providers are also presumed to have the appropriate level of training for the safeguarding of children and adults who are at risk.

The CQC will initiate inspections to check whether the staff have the necessary skills and expertise. They will check the start of employment, responsibilities they carry and how the health care provider has been seeking to meet the learning needs of their team. They will also examine which training they have done and whether they can see evidence of this training. The CQC may ask for them to demonstrate for them.

During an inspection, the CQC team will look at whether staff have the right qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience to do their job:

• when they start their employment
• when they take on new responsibilities
• on an ongoing basis.

CQC look at how the provider identifies the learning needs of staff; and whether they have appropriate training to meet their learning needs and to cover the scope of their work.

As we have said, we do not have a definitive list of mandatory training. However, these are examples of training that we would expect to see evidence of:

• basic life support
• infection control
• fire safety training
• Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
• training to the appropriate level of safeguarding adults at risk and safeguarding children.

Providers could be asked to demonstrate training for clinical staff linked to their specific clinical responsibilities. For nursing staff, for example, this could be taking samples for the cervical screening programme, administering vaccines and for extended roles in treating minor illness and long-term conditions.

Mandatory Training for dental practices

Keeping up to date is necessary for the dental practice team. The CQC will evaluate whether the dental team is keeping up to date with necessary training following the effective key questions.

This links to CQC's Regulation 18 (Staffing) which states that persons employed by the service receive support, training, professional development, supervision and appraisal.

Dental continuing Professional Development (CPD)

CPD associates to learning, training or other developmental activities which can reasonably be expected to maintain and develop a person’s practice as a dentist or dental care professional (DCP) and is relevant to the person’s field of practice”.

The General Dental Council (GDC) has changed the CPD requirements for dentists and DCPs. This enhanced CPD scheme starts:

• 1 January 2018 for dentists
• 1 August for DCPs

Appraisals for dental staff

As part of the changes, dental registrants will need to have a personal development plan (PDP) in place. A PDP often flows from an appraisal process. The PDP will:

• highlight the areas for development
• how they are to be addressed
• suggested evidence of outcomes
• the time frames involved

What to expect on inspection

The PDP is personal to the dentist or DCP which an inspector would not normally feel the need to examine it.

They expect providers to be able to demonstrate how confident and certain they are that their staff keeps up with professional practice. Thus, they have taken the required steps in compliance with the CQC requirements. For example, providers could keep a log of staff members training over their General Dental Council CPD cycle.

The General Dental Council (GDC)

The GDC is an organisation that regulates dental care professionals which ensures that these individuals meet the professional standards set out by the GDC to maintain professional registration. To remain on the register, dental care professionals must demonstrate a minimum level of Enhanced CPD over a period of five years. A description of the requirements is explained in more detail later on in this section. Dental care professionals included on this list are:

• Dentists
• Dental Nurses
• Dental Hygienists
• Dental Technicians
• Clinical Dental Technicians
• Dental and Orthodontic Therapists.

Enhanced CPD Requirements – What this means for you

All dental professionals are required to participate in Enhanced Continual Professional Development to help them secure their registration and for their personal growth and development as a professional through reflective learning. It is vital that they constantly improve their knowledge and skills in compliance with the often changing GDC standards.

For registered dental care professionals, this not only boosts confidence but allows them to provide and deliver exemplary service, as well as good quality patient care.

Over a five-year cycle, dental care professionals are required to achieve Enhanced CPD as outlined below:

• Dentists – 100 hours.
• Dental Therapist, Hygienist, orthodontic Therapist & Clinical Dental Technician – 75 hours
• Dental Nurses & Dental Technicians –50 hours

The recommendation is for all GDC recommended topics must be achieved within this cycle and should include as a minimum:

• Medical Emergencies – 10 hours per 5-year cycle, preferably 2 hours per year.
• Radiography and Radiation Protection – 5 hours per cycle.
• Disinfection and Decontamination – 5 hours per cycle.

As they contribute to patient safety, keeping up to date with topics relating to the following subjects are recommended and therefore must be completed within the 5-year cycle.

• Legal and Ethical Issues
• Complaints Handling
• Oral Cancer: Early Detection
• Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults

Therefore, it is extremely important for all dental care professionals to be aware of the necessary requirements to maintain their registration. There are several ways to achieve good quality Enhanced CPD including specific courses related to the subject area and eLearning.

Mandatory Training in summary

Due to budget constraints within the NHS and overworked staff not having enough time to attend training develops the neglect of mandatory training in some cases. However, healthcare organisations can't afford to become lax in this area.

There is a great need for healthcare organisations to allow their staff to get away from clinical constraints and allow them the time to attend mandatory training. Mandatory training matters because it can heighten their confidence which can encourage them to function well.

To search for quality training providers offering mandatory training, search The Mandatory Training Group’s course database.

Why train with The Mandatory Training Group?

• The Mandatory Training Group are provides CSTF aligned statutory and mandatory training course
• CPD Accredited Training Provider (The UK CPD Certification Service)
• Our professional trainers have approved qualifications and experience
• We deliver proven traditional classroom training providing healthcare professionals with relevant practical involvement and assessments.

Independent verification of alignment can also be found on the UK CPD Certification Service website. The CPD Certification Service have audited and fully accredited The Mandatory Training Group’s 'Skills for Health Aligned CSTF Mandatory and Statutory Training Course', the Care Certificate and other health and social care courses.

Online Mandatory Training Bundles

Disclaimer

*All information is correct at the time of publishing. This document provides guidance relating to health and social care training in the UK. It is your responsibility to carry out your local needs assessment and determine the relevant training required for your staff.