Skills for Care and Skills for Health have launched the Code of Conduct and National Minimum Training Standards for Healthcare Support Workers who report to nurses or midwives and Adult Social Care Workers in England.

The long awaited Code describes the standards of conduct, behaviour and attitudes that the public and the people who need healthcare, care and support services should expect of workers. The National Minimum Training Standards define the minimum knowledge workers must have, irrespective of individual job role. Both the Code and the Standards were created after extensive consultation with employers and workers across both sectors to make sure they were fit for purpose.

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Care Focus in association with Amicus Law will be running a Social Media workshop to help owners, managers & supervisors deal with this increasingly problematic area. Click  here to open flyer for more information. 

The closing date to express your interest is the 12th April.

The new health and care system becomes fully operational from 1 April to deliver the ambitions set out in the Health and Social Care Act. The NHS Commissioning Board, Public Health England, the NHS Trust Development Authority and Health Education England will take on their full range of responsibilities.
Locally, clinical commissioning groups – made up of doctors, nurses and other professionals – will buy services for patients, while local councils formally take on their new roles in promoting public health. Health and wellbeing boards will bring together local organisations to work in partnership and Healthwatch will provide a powerful voice for patients and local communities.
For more information click here.

Working Links are a new organisation set up to help businesses to recruit unemployed people into paid work, and they have people ready and waiting for positions in health and social care right now!  The Taunton branch is putting on an event just for the Taunton / Wellington area, so please come along and find out a bit more about what they do. There are even financial incentives to employing people through Working Links.  See news here.

An information resource and summary for care workers on the prevention and control of infection in care homes has been published. Click here to access website and documents.

Equality and Human Rights Commission have been working with smaller businesses to find out how best to support those that don't have in-house HR or Legal advice. As a result they have developed a series of guides tailored to the specific needs of small and medium sized businesses.  Click here to access their website and further information.

Click here to access the latest enews

Click here to access the enews to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week

Please click here to view ‘Somerset LINk- Dignity in Residential Care for Older Persons Good Practice Examples’

Useful templates for letters, forms and checklists - Having correct draft letters, forms and checklists can save you time, and help you manage information quickly and easily, in running your business.
These free samples are organised into the three sections to help with:  Hiring staff, Managing staff, Disciplining staff.
For more information click here

Advisory booklet - how to manage performance of staff  
The aim of managing performance is to continuously improve the performance of individuals and that of the organisation. It involves making sure that the performance of employees contributes to the goals of their teams and the business as a whole.
For more information click here

Autism Somerset e-bulletin March 2013

CRB - Criminal record checks to be relaxed

Gov.UK - ‘Making a Difference in Dementia’ nursing vision and strategy launched

Action on Hearing Loss - The case for tackling hearing loss in care homes.

Action on Hearing Loss - Take the hearing check!

Age UK - 'Improving later life - Understanding the oldest old'.    This booklet looks at the needs of “older” elderly people or “The Fourth Age” and covers all aspects of life.

Community Care news - Social care 'star ratings' set to return after review gives backing

Information of the Shaw Trust