Last Updated on June 24, 2016
A new report from the International Longevity Centre-UK, commissioned by the Department of Health, is the first of its kind to examine the newly-developed role enhanced care worker role in the adult social care sector.
Whilst the enhanced care worker role has the potential to provide the skills necessary to meet the challenges posed by ever-increasing care demands, it has not, until now, been formally examined.
Innovate to Alleviate: Exploring How the Role of an Enhanced Care Worker Could Address Skills Shortages in the Social Care Sector is the first scoping review of its kind to examine the newly-developed role. This qualitative investigation was compiled from a number of interviews with individuals from all levels of the care home sector, including managers, registered nurses, enhanced care workers, and high-level executives from organisations that oversee a number of care homes.
The report marks the start of a sector-wide debate on a position, which has organically emerged and begun to develop.
Key themes on the enhanced care worker role, which emerged from the interviews conducted for the report include:
- Training and the development of qualifications and skills specific to a care setting.
- The relationship between the registered nurse and the enhanced care worker.
- Concerns over accountability.
- Internal development of the role.
- The enhanced care worker role makes a difference.
- There needs to be better support from the NHS.
Minister of State for Community and Social Care, Rt Hon. Alistair Burt MP said, ‘The adult social care sector is facing unprecedented challenges, and this newly developed “Enhanced Care Worker” role has the potential to provide much needed clinical support in care homes.
‘I welcome this report, and its analysis of the challenges and opportunities of this emerging role. It will provide valuable insight for care homes when considering how best to implement it.’
Baroness Sally Greengross, Chief Executive, International Longevity Centre - UK said, ‘A large part of the ILC-UK’s remit is how the UK’s adult social care sector will be able to rise to the challenge of an ageing population. Exactly how the workforce can adapt to a society with more older people, often with complex support needs, is crucial to this.
‘We were, therefore, delighted to be commissioned by the Department of Health to explore how the role of an enhanced care worker could address skills shortages in the social care sector; we are certain that this research, the first to explore this emerging role, will provide invaluable insights to both policy makers and care home providers across the UK.’
CMM has an exclusive article on the role in the July issue, available online here.
The full report Innovate to Alleviate: Exploring How the Role of an Enhanced Care Worker Could Address Skills Shortages in the Social Care Sector is available on the ILC-UK’s website here.