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New care workers will have to earn certificate New care workers will have to earn certificate
(about 3 hours later)
New care workers will have to earn a training certificate within 12 weeks of starting a job in a hospital or care home, the BBC has learned.New care workers will have to earn a training certificate within 12 weeks of starting a job in a hospital or care home, the BBC has learned.
The certificate will be introduced in England in March next year for workers, including hospital healthcare assistants. The initiative comes in from March next year in England for staff including hospital healthcare assistants.
Topics will include infection control, dementia care and patient dignity.Topics will include infection control, dementia care and patient dignity.
It comes after an independent review, by Camilla Cavendish, highlighted inconsistencies in training. This follows an independent review, in the wake of the Stafford Hospital Scandal, which highlighted inconsistencies in training.
Across England, there are more than a million care workers, many of whom look after vulnerable and elderly people in their own homes or in residential care.Across England, there are more than a million care workers, many of whom look after vulnerable and elderly people in their own homes or in residential care.
The Cavendish review, which was published last year, was established following the Stafford Hospital Scandal. Last year's independent review, written by Times journalist and associate editor Camilla Cavendish, looked at training and support given to care workers and healthcare assistants.
It looked at training and support given to care workers and healthcare assistants and found there was no minimum standard of training for healthcare assistants.
It found some care workers were doing tasks usually performed by doctors or nurses, such as taking blood, despite no "compulsory or consistent" training.It found some care workers were doing tasks usually performed by doctors or nurses, such as taking blood, despite no "compulsory or consistent" training.
'No consistency'
Under the new certification system, training and assessment will remain the responsibility of individual employers, the BBC has learned.
Dr Shereen Hussein, an expert in social care at King's College London, welcomed the introduction of "a consistent certificate".
"However, if that is relying on what has been delivered in individual providers and the standards are not being accredited or assured, maybe that will not mean much," she told BBC One's Breakfast.
"My concern would be, yes it's great to have a consistent and portable certificate that ensures a minimum standard.
"But then we need something in place to assure that it is delivered at that higher standard and that it is portable between providers."
Alleged abuse
David Pearson, president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, told Breakfast: "There are currently common induction standards for social care.
"One of the things that this provision does is actually makes this consistent across health and social care.
"There are an increasing number of older people and younger adults with more complex needs."
He said the certificate would make "a huge difference to the quality of care that people receive".
"I do accept the point that what we must make sure is that this is applied consistently across the service, across health and social care."
He added: "It's very important that we invest in the training of care workers as has been evidenced by the Panorama programme."
Seven staff have been sacked and another suspended at The Old Deanery care home at Bocking, near Braintree, after a BBC Panorama programme about alleged abuse there.
Images shot undercover showed one resident being slapped and others taunted and roughly handled.
The home said it was "shocked and saddened by the allegations", which had involved a "small number of staff".
Individual employersIndividual employers
The review called for workers in England to be given at least two weeks' training to prepare them for providing basic care in hospitals, care homes and for patients in their homes. Camilla Cavendish's review called for workers in England to be given at least two weeks' training to prepare them for providing basic care in hospitals, care homes and for patients in their homes.
Ms Cavendish said healthcare assistants should have to earn a "certificate of fundamental care".Ms Cavendish said healthcare assistants should have to earn a "certificate of fundamental care".
She called for all new recruits to obtain the certificate and for existing healthcare assistants to prove they had the equivalent training.She called for all new recruits to obtain the certificate and for existing healthcare assistants to prove they had the equivalent training.
The government also promised to establish "minimum training standards" for healthcare assistants by spring this year.The government also promised to establish "minimum training standards" for healthcare assistants by spring this year.
As part of the new proposals, training and assessment will remain the responsibility of individual employers, the BBC has learned.
Are you a care worker or training to be a care worker? What do you think of the idea to introduce a certificate? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line 'Care worker certificate'.Are you a care worker or training to be a care worker? What do you think of the idea to introduce a certificate? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line 'Care worker certificate'.