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Newsletter April 08
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Surrey Care
www.surreycare.org.uk Newsletter Issue 13 April 2008
Supporting Social Care Providers in Surrey
Contact Details
Erica Lockhart Chief Executive Tel/Fax: 01372 360593 Mobile: 07738 227362 Email: Erica.Lockhart@surreycare.org.uk
Lisa Mack SCA Administration Mobile: 07779 584397 Fax: 01252 782938 Email: Lisa.Mack@surreycare.org.uk
Surrey Care Association Ltd, PO Box 320, Leatherhead, KT22 2BG
Don’t miss the joint SCA/SCC Spring Conference Wednesday 16th April 2008, Kempton Park.
See flyer for details or check www.surreycare.org.uk
SECAS research
- Important findings
The SECAS team is now providing dedicated training brokerage and learning advice to 59 small to medium sized care organisations and some 900 staff and recent research has revealed valuable information about the nature of care provision in the county. For example, we’ve found that within organisations engaged in SECAS, over 50% employees are from different ethnic backgrounds, 81% are female and 68% already hold a general qualification at NVQ Level 2 or above. There is also evidence of strong relationships between employers and training providers fostered through established networks facilitated by Surrey Care Association and a strong culture of in-house training with employers accessing accredited train the trainer courses funded by the National Training Strategy Grant funding.
Book Now for Showcase 2008
– the biggest and the best yet
Once again, SCA is proud to bring you the region’s biggest free training and development event, which takes place on 7th May at the Copthorne Hotel Gatwick. This year’s theme is Service Development - What it means to you, your workforce, your business and people who use your services. Speakers include Nigel Walker from the Department of Health; Dr Graham Stokes from BUPA; Andy Butler from SCC amongst many others. Showcase 2008 will include over 30 free seminars and workshops exploring important topics such as the Mental Capacity Act; Corporate Manslaughter; Learning Disability Qualification; Tendering & Contracting, amongst many more – and the lively exhibition will feature training, business development and workforce planning advice. This not-to-be-missed event is free of charge thanks to support from Surrey County Council, West Sussex County Council, East Sussex County Council, Brighton & Hove City Council and Skills for Care in Surrey and Sussex. It will be opened by The Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex, Mrs Phyllida Stewart-Roberts OBE. Reserve places for you and your staff now by completing the flyer with this newsletter or email: lisa.mack@surreycare.org.uk or visit our website: www.surreycare.org.uk
New standards for training providers
Meeting Surrey Training Providers is a regular part of the SCA calendar. We take the time to update training providers on the challenges and changes facing the sector, funding for training and encouraging them to be responsive, flexible and to provide good value opportunities. At our March meeting, Steve Carroll briefed providers in the way their training could be enhanced through the involvement of service users and carers. Sheila Vinson, formerly of Godalming College, is now working with SCA on a freelance basis to help develop standards. Erica Lockhart said: “SCA is always being approached by nonSurrey providers to be featured on our website. At the moment I ask them to provide references from Surrey employers so that I know they are recommended – usually they are unable to do this. It is really important that SCA supports quality providers through its website and so this next step will give not only SCA but also all employers the chance to check out ‘new’ and existing providers against the local quality standard.” This work and the meetings with providers have been made possible thanks to Skills for Care Surrey funding.
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Erica Lockhart meeting some of Surrey’s training providers
See Inside:
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Learning Disability report
Dom Care network
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CoVE and New Quality Standards
SCA partnership funding –
“Sincere thanks”
Many thanks go to Astor Care who have for many years supported our SCA Skills for Care partnership. Last minute claims have been processed right up to the deadline and we hope to get some extra funding from other regions which have under-claimed. Once again we will have have paid out over £200,000 in units of £75 each. Sincere thanks go to Andrew Lord and Tracey Lord. Units will be £80 from April and thanks to continuing funding from SCC this will be paid in full to employers. SCA Board has decided to administer the partnership internally for 2008-09, subject to another successful bidding round, and will write to providers and post information on our website once it is known.
Learning Disability Workshop - report
The joint SCA and SCC Learning Disability workshop held in March was excellent and took us another step forward on the business transformation journey. Dave Sargeant, Head of Adult Services at SCC, introduced a video of a service user who made the transition from hospital care, to residential care, to supported living over a period of 20 years. We also heard from Jean Collins from CSIP (Care Service Improvement Partnership) on "Valuing People Now", and from Martin Costelloe from OSAAT (One Step at a Time). Martin is a private provider who has made the transition from residential care to supported living. His presentation lifted the spirits of many providers in the room as he painted a picture of the successful journey his business had taken and of the success stories for many individuals who had been supported. Martin shared the reality that independence does not suit some people, but the vast majority with the right support do make successful transitions. Sarah Pearce covered changes in the learning disability qualification and the workforce planning strategy, in conjunction with the Learning Disability Partnership Board. If you are not familiar with the Partnership Board in Surrey, information can be found on relating to this project: On our home page click “Business Development” Next workshop 19th May- put the date in your diary now!
New team member
David Claridge
National Occupational Standards
- Incremental Review
Skills for Care (SfC) is currently working with partner organisations and Development and Skills for Health to review the National Occupational Standards (NOS) in health and social care and ensure that NOS remain current and fit for purpose during the 5-year accreditation period. The process has been identified as a ‘light touch’ and there will not be the opportunity to hold large consultation events. SfC has been collecting feedback on issues since the launch of the NOS, and these will be incorporated into the review. You can contribute by completing the questionnaire on our website:
www.surreycare.org.uk www.surreypb.org.uk
or
Surrey Care Association’s Learning Disability Business Development project to help care providers make the transition to new models of care and support. Surrey County Council provided funding for us to set up this project, which will focus particularly on the needs of the county’s 235 providers of residential care for adults with learning disabilities. Working through the SCA care provider networks, David will initially assess market needs and will be looking into a package of support that will be of real benefit. SCA will signpost providers to sources of help or training. David can be emailed:
www.skillsforcare.org.uk
David Claridge (pictured) updated providers on the next stage of the project and invited providers to small workshops to discuss issues so that SCA can tailor the project to respond to differing needs. See the new website section for information David is heading up
davidclaridge1@btinternet.com
or contacted by phone:
07881 818473
Learning Disability - SCA network meeting
An additional SCA network meeting was also held in March – we have been combining the SCA network with the joint SCA/SCC workshop in recent times but with so much on the agenda we took the opportunity to host a separate network event.
Dom Care network
- Packed house
At our March network meeting, David Lenihan from Surrey County Council addressed domiciliary care providers on the self-directed support transformation agenda. Many providers feel they are already responding to service users in this way, because control over their own budgets is in place for people who currently purchase their own care. Providers were awaiting the results of the tendering process. Stop Press: Domiciliary care providers have now received news of the tender process. Some have received disappointing news and have lost significant business; others have been awarded only part of their tender in some zones. We understand there will be new non-Surrey providers awarded contracts. SCC has indicated its intention to work with unsuccessful providers on transition arrangements but, in the meantime, SCA has arranged a meeting with Richard Davey from Surrey Independent Living Council to provide information on how providers can support service users in obtaining Direct Payments.
Older People’s Network - Inaugural meeting
David Lenihan from SCC
This was the very first meeting of the new network with over 20 providers attending. Participants say the meeting was very useful, want them more frequently and are sure word will get round so more people can attend. Stop Press: Nursing home owners report receiving a letter from SCC asking for overpayments of the RNCC (£14 a week) to be repaid from October 2007. SCA, through Chairman Mike Roycroft, has requested a review of this decision and we await a decision as we go to print.
CoVE and New Quality Standards
Dan Power new Director of Business Services at Godalming College chaired his first meeting of the CoVE Stakeholder Forum, with the news that CoVEs were to be replaced in the next year with new Quality Standards.
As more information becomes available it will be posted on the website. Please ensure you register to receive news alerts on the www.surreycare.org.uk home page. Many providers have expressed dismay at the way they found out about the tender results and have reported distressed service users who received their letters first. SILC and Surrey Coalition of Disabled People received many calls, as did SCC. SCA has been working hard to gain information to offer best advice during this very stressful time and we recommend providers write to SCC voicing their concerns.
NMDS
Our contract with Skills for Care to complete the on-line organisation questionnaires has now ended. However, the data coming through is so helpful that we are continuing the work, funding it through the National Training Strategy Grant. Our goal is to survey 100% of care organisations in Surrey – that includes supporting people providers. There was a flurry of activity in the middle of March when SfC/SCA claims were missing a NMDS number. Don’t be caught out next year. Register with Lisa Mack whilst we still have help available. Many providers are now moving onto the NMDS employee questionnaires. Chris Blake from the Learning Hub is working hard on this. From April the information can be downloaded for your AQAA. Please support us in achieving our target completions because the data will not just help you in your own business with management information but also help us in our strategic planning for Surrey. Contact Chris Blake NMDS-SC Project Officer, The Learning Hub
“Increase” for providers
- Zero percent!
CoVE meeting at Godalming College
These would not only apply to colleges but also in time to all training providers wishing to work on LSC contracts. Providers will need to meet these standards but then, depending on a provider’s specialism, e.g. Health and Social Care, they will also need to meet standards set by the relevant Sector Skills Councils. One of the key standards is for providers to demonstrate the impact of their training and development activity on employers. Findings from the current SECAS project, which has given feedback from employers on their overwhelmingly positive view, will be useful evidence to help our training providers move forward on the standards that will benefit all employers – they will know that the service they are buying is good quality as well as responsive to employer needs.
SCC has advised SCA that their difficult budget situation does not allow for any inflationary increases in 2008-09. Whilst it is possible to understand the decision given the very difficult financial situation that Surrey faces – and indeed SCA have offered to make representations to government alongside SCC – the impact on providers is very real. Stop Press: A letter to SCC from our Chairman sums up the position: “SCA wants to register the view, on behalf of Surrey providers that the decision within Surrey to not pay any inflationary increase is unacceptable and we wish to discuss the matter and seek a resolution at the earliest opportunity.” We also note that in the House of Commons on 18th March Ivan Lewis, in reply to a question from an MP about local authority funding, said “it is difficult to justify zero per cent increases”.
Tel: 020 8795 5821 Email: cblake@thelearninghub.co.uk
News in brief…
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New office and administrative support for SCA
From April SCA will have its own office, based at Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation in Leatherhead. We are delighted to be partnering with a Surrey provider and believe this will be a great arrangement for SCA. Joining us will be Jennie Turner – who will be supporting SCA in its wide range of activities. Lisa Mack will continue to work with us along with her colleague Lynn O’Byrne. Our new contact information including telephone numbers and emails will be posted on the website.
The feedback you have given us on “How are we doing” will also contribute to this review. Many thanks to the providers who have given us feedback. We really appreciate your comments. We expect Deborah’s report to be available in May.
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Train to Gain update
Train to Gain is still available in Surrey. Many employers have taken up the opportunity but we still have money left. Please talk to us about your NVQ training needs. Remember it’s not just level 2 and level 3 Health and Social Care, it is any NVQ. With the new arrangement for people needing a second level 3 (even if they already have a level 3 or 4) there has never been a better time. There is a contribution of £692 required but this can largely be claimed back through the SCA/SfC partnership.
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Self Directed Support
Work continues apace in SCC. SCA, SILC, Surrey Coalition for Disabled People Action for Carers - others are involved too in a reference group. While we receive regular updates, much of the information is internal to SCC. However, anyone interested can access updates on our website under the Business Development menu on the home page.
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Involving Service Users and Carers
Skills for Care Accolades 2008
The Accolades are seen as the Oscars of the social care world and last year saw a record number of entries from organisations and employers who wanted to showcase their work in developing a highly trained workforce. Enter now - see: www.skillsforcare.org.uk for details.
SCA is currently working in partnership with Skills for Care, Surrey Independent Living Council Surrey Coalition for Disabled People and Action for Carers on a project supporting the involvement of service users and carers in the training of social care staff. Thanks to funding from the Surrey Skills for Care sub group, an action plan has been developed which includes plans for training service users and carers as “trainers”. We have also created a guide (mentioned in this newsletter) for employers and training providers wanting to enhance their training by involving service users and carers.
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News? - Don’t miss out!
Keep abreast of the latest news affecting the sector by registering for alerts on our website. Just take a moment and go to our home page and add your email address. When anything urgent is posted on Stop Press or News Stories you will receive an automatic email alert. So much is happening it really is an efficient way to ensure you get information quickly.
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Learning Disability Workforce Planning
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NTSG Grant claims
119 companies have applied for grants totalling nearly £300,000. (While claims for £690,000 have been received in total many of these exceeded the claim cap of £3,000.) Subject to audit checks we expect to make payments to all companies up to the £3,000 cap maximum in w/c 14th April. Other claims will be retained in the unlikely event of any balance of funding remaining from the 2007-08 grant. Whilst this will be disappointing for many providers who received in some cases far more in last year, it must be remembered that 2007-08 was exceptional in that the total amount paid in grants equalled the full amount of NTSG funding available. Programmes of training continue with a further phase currently being planned. To date take up has been almost 100%, with only one place not taken up in the first phases. Thanks to Lisa Mack and Lynn O’Byrne who have been administering this programme on behalf of SCA.
Thanks to funding from Skills for Care in Surrey, Sarah Pearce, working through SCA, is reviewing the new Learning Disability Qualification and what it means for employers who had previously been working with the LDAF award. Sarah is also working with the LD Partnership Board on the future workforce development needs for this sector, which is facing so much change in the way services are delivered.
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Leadership and management workshops for Nurses
A programme of four free workshops will be held at Godalming College Business Training Services starting in May. The workshops will run between 10:00 and 15:00 and cover topics such as Communication for Effective Management, Managing at the Sharp End, Managing Performing and Criteria and also Learning to Lead. If you would like to receive further details please contact: jenniferburgess@godalming.ac.uk
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Signposting to Training
Event
Dates for your Diary
Date & Time 16 April 10.00am – 4.00pm Venue Kempton Park Race Course TBC Conservatory Whiteley Village Copthorne Hotel Gatwick TBC SCC & SCA Joint Spring Conference 2008 Training Providers Meeting Trainers Network
Skills for Care funding has supported the development two new guides for employers and training providers.
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The Surrey Directory of Leadership and Management is a practical guide for employers detailing training providers, accredited and non-accredited courses and qualifications. The Involving People Who Use Care Services and Carers in Social Care Training Contact Directory has been designed to help Surrey providers and in house trainers initiate opportunities to engage service users in the training of social care staff.
22 April 10.00am – 1.00pm 23 April 1.30pm – 3.30pm
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Both publications are available on the Surrey Care Association website www.surreycare.org.uk
Care Showcase
7 May
TBC
SCC/SCA Care Homes Forum 13 May 1.30pm – 4.00pm
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Review of SCA work
Thanks to funding from Skills for Care in South East, SCA has commissioned Deborah Clogg, Assistant Director from Institute of Public Care, to review our work over the last two and half years. Deborah will also review our business plan and governance arrangements, talking to key stakeholders with a view to making recommendations about our future direction and plans.
SCC/SCA LD Development Workshop
19 May 11.00am – 12.15pm (SCA) Hall 1.00pm – 4.30pm (All) Runnymede Centre
Please contact Lisa Mack for all the above events to register a place via email: lisa.mack@surreycare.org.uk
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