Home care training gaps risk ‘fatal consequences’ for service users, says Unison

More than 1,000 home care workers have not had adequate training in the tasks they are regularly required to carry out, a survey by Unison has found.

The survey found a quarter of care workers had not received training in dementia care, despite nearly 70% working with someone who has the condition.

Of the workers who had training in this area, only 52% believed it was good enough to help them care for people with dementia and only 41% received ‘on-going’ training.

Unison said the findings were ‘a cause for alarm’ due to the growing number of people living with dementia, many of whom are likely to need home care services.

‘Worrying findings’

The survey also found nearly a quarter of care workers had not had training in administering medication, despite having to give controlled doses of insulin or liquid morphine.

A further 59% had not been trained in attaching or changing a convene catheter, 52% had no stoma care training and 45% did not know how to change a catheter bag.

Over a third of care workers had not been shown how to carry out peg-feeding. Of those that had, 46% said their training was not good enough.

Dave Prentis, general secretary for Unison, said the lack of adequate training for home care workers could lead to fatal consequences for service users.

“The funding the government gives to councils for social care has been slashed since 2010, forcing many local authorities and private companies to skimp on training,” he said.

“It is a stark illustration of the lack of dignity that is being afforded to both care workers and the people who rely on home care services.”

‘Bare minimum’

Unison’s report on its findings also criticises the Care Certificate, the set of basic training standards introduced by government earlier this month, for ‘not going nearly far enough’ to address the problem.

“The certificate only covers basic induction into care, not the specialised training needed for things like stoma care and peg feeding,” the report said.

“As long as procurement is based on the cheapest provider, it is hard to see how many care providers will invest in a non-mandatory Care Certificate.”

The union is now calling for greater investment in home care to ensure service users get the care they deserve and care workers receive the training they need.

“Plans to integrate NHS and social care services are doomed to failure if we continue to have a social care system that treats home care workers with such contempt, and the people they care for with such disregard,” said Prentis.

The online survey was undertaken over a six week period in February and March 2015 and the 1020 respondents worked for employers in the public, private and voluntary sectors.

‘Grossly underfunded’

Colin Angel, policy and campaigns director at the UK Homecare Association (UKHCA), said Unison’s findings add weight to the argument that care must be adequately funded.

“The training of home care workers is fundamental to safe and effective services, particularly with the growing number of people with increasingly complex needs expected to remain at home, rather than live in institutionalised settings,” he said.

“UKHCA has repeatedly drawn attention to the risks posed by a grossly-underfunded care system dominated by councils who themselves continue to face severe spending constraints. The importance of an adequately trained and confident workforce is obvious, and should provide additional reflection for local councils funding care, and for the next government.”

Ray James, president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (Adass), added: “Nothing determines the quality of a citizen’s experience of social care more than the dignity and respect they are afforded by those entering their homes and lives. Front line social care workers deserve to be trained, valued and remunerated in a way that is consistent with the quality of service that we rightly expect of them.”