November 2022 

Workforce update for

services that support people with a learning disability and/or autistic people

Welcome to this workforce development update for adult social care services that support people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. It shares the latest news, resources, events and funding opportunities from Skills for Care and partners.

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News from the sector

Launch of The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism elearning

The Health and Care Act 2022 introduced a requirement that from 1 July 2022 regulated CQC registered service providers must ensure their staff receive training on learning disability and autism that is appropriate to their role.

The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training has been co-produced, trialled with over 8,300 health and care staff and independently evaluated by the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi).

An elearning package is the first part of The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training, which has now been launched. It will provide the health and care workforce with the right skills and knowledge to provide safe, compassionate and informed care to autistic people and people with a learning disability.

HEE is working with partners to arrange train the trainer training from November 2022 that will prepare people with a learning disability and autistic people to co-deliver the online interactive and face to face sessions. If you would like to get involved as an expert by experience, an employer or an education provider, please complete the expression of interest form. 

For further information, please visit the HEE OMMT webpage, our website or the elearning programme webpage​​​​​​​.


 

Questionnaire and event to explore reducing reliance on psychotropic medications 

STOMP (Stopping Over Medication of People with a learning disability, autistic people or both) and STAMP (Supporting Treatment and Appropriate Medication in Paediatrics) are national projects, launched by NHS England and involving many different organisations, aiming to stop the overuse of psychotropic medicines. 

We have launched a questionnaire to hear from colleagues across the health and care sector, including family carers, about their experiences of using STOMP and STAMP and how awareness and understanding of it could be improved. 

⇨ Complete the questionnaire

The questionnaire will close on Friday 16 December 2022.

 

Review of the Level 4 Diploma in Adult Care - survey

Following recent reviews of the level 3 and level 5 diplomas, we’re now looking at 
the Level 4 Diploma in Adult Care and how this can better meet the needs of learners in the sector. We’d like to hear your thoughts on the current qualification and whether you feel it supports progression and if it has the right content to support specialist practice. 

⇨ Complete the survey

The survey should take between 10-15 minutes to complete. If you have any further comments that can’t be included in the survey, please contact NWDCapabilityandSkills@SkillsforCare.org.uk stating that you are getting in touch regarding the Level 4 survey. 

 

Funding for Positive Behavioural Support (PBS) training 

The 2022-2023 Workforce Development Fund (WDF) is open to adult social care employers in England. This year, for the first time, employers can claim for PBS training, provided it meets the criteria set out on our webpage.

WDF aims to support continuing professional development of staff across adult social care sector by providing a contribution towards the cost of training. In order to claim you need to be registered on the adult social care workforce data set (ASC-WDS).

⇨ Find out about training you can claim for through WDF

⇨ Find out how to register with ASC-WDS and learn about the benefits

 

 

Guidance and resources from the Government, regulators and advisory bodies

Department of Health and Social Care update 

Steve Barclay has been reappointed as the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, having held the post from July-September 2022 under Boris Johnson. Helen Whately has been confirmed as the Minister for Social Care. The previous Minister, Gillian Keegan, was Minister for both Social Care and Mental health but these portfolios have been split in the new Government. Maria Caufield is responsible for Mental Health, which will include any learning disability and autism policy.

 

Learning Disability and Autism Community Discharge Grant 2020 to 2023 

The Government have published information for local authorities about the Community Discharge Grant to help address double running costs.

⇨ View the guidance

 

Draft Mental Health Bill Committee

The Joint Committee on the Draft Mental Health Bill continue to meet to scrutinise the Government’s draft Bill to reform the Mental Health Act. On Wednesday 9 November, the committee questioned clinicians and experts on whether this is likely to improve the treatment of people with autism and learning disabilities. 

⇨ View the transcript from the session on the inquiry website

 

CQC publish ‘Who I Am Matters’ report

This report has been issued on 3 November 2022 by the Care Quality Commission which highlights the continued failure to deliver high quality healthcare support to individuals with learning disabilities and autistic people. The review collected evidence from multiple hospital trusts including during times of pandemic restrictions.

The report describes findings which are not new, such as issues accessing reasonable adjustments, lack of specialist knowledge and support, and use of psychotropic and sedative medication to manage challenging behaviour.  

The report concludes: “People with a learning disability and autistic people are still not being given the quality of care and treatment they have a right to expect when they go to hospital. It is clear from our findings and other multiple studies published previously that, nearly six years after Oliver McGowan’s death, change and improvement is too slow.” 

⇨ Read the full report

 

 

News from the sector

Helping to improve access to cancer screening for people with a learning disability

Marie Kotzur from the University of Glasgow is looking for paid and family carers in England to take part in an interview. The researchers are offering participants a gift card of £30 as a thank you for giving their time.

The study aims to understand the experience of screening for breast, bowel, and cervical cancers among people with learning disabilities, how their access to screening can be improved, and what could make cancer screening easier for people with learning disabilities. 

The researchers are keen to speak with carers who support women with learning disabilities aged 25 to 75 years and/or men with learning disabilities aged 60-75 years. The interview can be by telephone or video call and the interviews will last between 30 and 60 minutes. 

⇨ Find out more about the research 

If you would like to ask any questions about the study, or if you are interested in taking part, please call or text Marie on 07432828458 or by email: marie.kotzur@glasgow.ac.uk.


 

CQC Market Oversight Scheme report

A financial impact report commissioned by members of the CQC Market Oversight Scheme (which is made up of care providers that local authorities could find difficult to replace should they fail) has revealed that independent care and support providers are reaching a financial tipping point which risks denying people with a learning disability and autistic people their right to decent, fulfilling, and stable care. 

⇨ Read the full report

 

Training NHS staff to support people with learning disabilities

The National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi) was commissioned in 2019 by the South Regional Health Education England Intellectual Disabilities programme to find and share best practice in training people who work in NHS Trusts to support people with learning disabilities.

They will shortly present findings from the work and will reflect on the findings and their implications for staff training, particularly in view of the introduction of the mandatory training about learning disability and autism, as set out in the Health and Care Act 2022. 

They will also be thinking about what is needed to ensure that training makes a sustainable, systemic difference to people with learning disabilities in terms of better care and outcomes. This should be of interest to those in leadership roles within Trusts or the Integrated Care System.

The findings will be presented at an event on Wednesday 30 November, 12:30 - 14:00. This should be of interest to those who develop and deliver training/clinical education/practice development.

⇨ Book your place

 

SCIE commissioner resource for advocacy

An updated resource from the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) is aimed at commissioners charged with meeting the duties to provide advocacy under the Care Act 2014. It will help commissioning officers in local authorities think through their duties and understand what they are required to do to comply with the requirements of the Act. It also sets out the relationship to advocacy requirements under other legislation and summarises good practice in advocacy.

⇨ View the resource

 

New NICE advocacy guidance

This new guidance covers advocacy for people using health and social care services in all adult settings (including young people under 18 using adult services). It describes how to commission and deliver effective advocacy, as well as identifying who should be offered advocacy (including who is legally entitled to it). It also covers monitoring and improving advocacy services, and training and skills for advocates and practitioners.

⇨ View the guidance

 

Views sought from learning disability nurses 

Dame Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer for England, is committed to developing a strategy that will set out a strategic direction for nurses, midwives and nursing associates across health and social care for the next 3-5 years. 

They want to hear views from all registered nurses, midwives and nursing associates in England, across all sectors, including learning disability nursing.  

⇨ Find more information and the link to the survey

 

All-England Plan for Learning Disability Nursing from Health Education England and NHS England 

David Harling and Ellie Gordon shared an update on the All-England Plan for Learning Disability Nursing. The Plan outlines NHS England and Health Education England’s commitment to making sure there are enough learning disability nurses in the future and details how the NHS plans to improve the quality of care for people with learning disabilities or autism.  

⇨ View the slides to read about the update 

 

Events

Bild’s Annual Members Event: Celebrating good co-production

This year, Bild’s annual conference will shine a spotlight on good examples of co-production in practice from across the sector. The virtual conference is on Friday 2 December and is free to attend. 

⇨ Find out more about the event and register your place​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Get involved

More minority ethnic people with learning disabilities sought to share their experience of Covid-19  

The Coronavirus research team want to hear from more minority ethnic people with learning disabilities, their families and supporters for the next part of their study. The research team work with advisory groups and pay their members. There are some advisory groups who are people with learning disabilities. There are other advisory groups who are family carers of people with learning disabilities.  

⇨ Find out more​​​​​​​

 

‘The Benefits and Costs of Domiciliary Care’  

This project is being led by Dr Florin Vadean, University of Kent, starting in September 2022 and finishing by June 2023. 
 
They are looking for more research advisors and are now hoping to recruit a further six ‘Experts by Experience’ to also join the team, specifically to join two workshops in 2023. 
 
If you are interested in joining the team, please send an expression of interest (no longer than two sides of A4) or a video to Sarah Birch s.j.birch@kent.ac.uk.


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