Blog

The regulator has, like many others, had to adapt their approach around the challenges that come with a pandemic, however, along with their launch of the Emergency Support Framework, the CQC has received some backlash over their role in care homes during the crisis. Read More

It's Mental Health Awareness Week and this year's theme is kindness, most specifically being kind to yourself. In light of this theme, our Head of Marketing explores how altering your perception of time, your own time in particular, can be massively advantageous for your mental health. Read More

Several key fire safety regulations have come into power in the UK this month. Here, we take a look back at the timeline since Grenfell and explore what the new legislation means for the healthcare sector. Read More

Our survey of charity digital skills has been updated to include information on how COVID-19 has affected the sector. One early finding is that one in three lack the skills or tech to cope. Read More

New guidance released by Skills for Health and Health Education England following a review of the minimum requirements for statutory and mandatory training during the Covid-19, has identified that four key subject matters should be focused on to ensure training is maintained for frontline workers. Read More

As the number of COVID-19 cases rise and concerns around the pandemic escalate, we want to reassure you that the Skills Platform are committed to supporting our customers, the NHS and wider healthcare sector during this novel crisis. Read More

It’s now five years since the Care Certificate was launched in England in April 2015. With the latest statistics showing that 68% of frontline health and social care staff have engaged with the Care Certificate, let’s refresh our minds as to what the Care Certificate is as well as answer some of the commonly asked questions from throughout the health and social sector. Read More

In October 2019, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) released their annual assessment of health care and social care in England. The document, aptly named ‘State of Care’ reported that, despite challenging times, most of the care given across England is good and, overall, the quality is improving slightly. However, they also reported that service users are not always having good experiences and sometimes people don’t get the care they need until it’s too late and things have seriously worsened for them. Read More

CQC published a report ‘Smiling Matters’ in June 2019 which details an in-depth review on the state of oral health care in care homes across England. Since October 2019, new questions to improve oral care in care homes have been added to the Care Quality Commission’s ‘effective’ key line of inspection inquiry. Read More

The Workforce Development Fund (WDF) is a funding opportunity for adult social care employers in England. It’s a finite pot of money which allows you to reclaim some of the costs incurred through the achievement of advertised qualifications and non-accredited learning programmes by your workforce on completion of the learning. The fund supports the continuing professional development of staff across the adult social care sector. Read More

The third Monday of January has the uninspiring title of Blue Monday. Apparently, a university professor managed to precisely calculate the most depressing day of the year, using formulae based on weather conditions, financial debt, time since Christmas, the time since failing our new year’s resolutions and low motivational level!! Cheery stuff. Read More

Full details of the Skills Platform's support availability during the festive period Read More

The clocks are turning back, and nights are drawing in; somehow, with a blink of an eye summer has gone for another year. This time of seasonal change brings lots of emotions - the more organised amongst you may have all but finished your Christmas shopping, others will be counting down the days until the annual ward night out whilst some of you will simply be wanting to hibernate for a few months. Yet, love it or hate it one thing is for sure: everyone wants to escape the winter bugs, especially the dreaded ‘flu'. Read More

New guidelines for professional carers administering buccal (ormomucosal) midazolam for epilepsy patients in the community have been published by the Epilepsy Nurses Association (ESNA), replacing the Joint Epilepsy Council (JEC) guidelines. Read More

The Charity Digital Skills Report is the definitive survey of the digital skills landscape across the third sector. Now in its third year, the report provides an annual barometer of the state of digital skills within the charity sector. Read More

Caring for others can take its toll on your body, mind and emotions. Yet, even though you may be an expert at looking after your patients, are you giving your own wellbeing the same attention? Read More

If you were trying to improve your fitness, what’s the first thing you’d do? You might join a gym, get advice from a personal trainer or start working out with a friend. Either way you’d probably want to know where you were at before setting yourself some goals, whether it’s running a 5k or doing a triathlon. If you want to move forward you’ve got to find out where you are. That’s the rationale behind The Charity Digital Skills Report. Read More

Whether you work in a major hospital or a care home setting; are a generalist or a specialist; are newly-trained or experienced; or are working at the front-line or a support role – any new employer (permanent or agency work) needs to know that you have up-to-date training. Read More

All of you will have found yourselves in public situations where powerful emotions bubble to the surface, e.g. on the ‘phone to a call centre or waiting for a delayed train. Often even if it doesn’t change the outcome of the situation, if you are dealt with in an open, honest and respectful way, you feel more in control and able to cope. Read More

Your role may involve ‘taking bloods’ from patients, residents or service users. The technical term for taking bloods is ‘phlebotomy.’ This guide explains why phlebotomy is so important. It will explain who can take blood samples, the importance of good training and what this training may involve. It's aimed at anyone working in health and social care. Even if you’re unlikely to take blood samples, you may need to support colleagues or patients, request blood tests or help patients respond to results. So, it's good practice for all staff to understand how and why phlebotomy is performed. Read More

Fortunately, 21st century healthcare is gradually moving away from the out-dated ‘doctor knows best’ model to one which is more person-centred. For you, as a health care practitioner, this means working with your patients - exploring what they already know, educating and empowering them to live the best they can with their conditions. Read More