The benefits of bespoke training courses for the health and social care sector

When it comes to running any kind of organisation within the health and social care sector, it is important to make sure that every member of staff is operating at the highest possible level. Every organisation will have different requirements depending on their size and the people that they care for, and so they need to know that staff are trained to meet their specific needs.

One issue that many organisations are facing is the fact that many staff have all been trained to the same basic standard and have little to no specialist knowledge. Therefore, there has been much greater demand for bespoke training courses designed to meet the individual requirements of the health and social care sector.

In this article, Empeiria Training take a look at the benefits of these courses for the sector, and how important they can be.

Specialist care

The health and social care sector covers a very broad range of issues, so it is important to remember that there is no single course that can cover them all. Staff members who have taken these kinds of courses can very quickly find themselves out of their depth and can only offer some of the more basic levels of care which do not fulfil the needs of the organisation or its patients.

It is therefore important to invest in bespoke training courses that have been put together to meet the needs of specific organisations in order to put them in a position to offer specialist care. When staff have been given the exact knowledge that they need, they can offer much greater levels of care and understanding, which can ensure that patients are protected, comforted and cared for in the way that they need.

One way to achieve this is through staff monitoring and reviews. This allows organisations to identify gaps in knowledge, both from what they observe and through feedback from staff. Once areas can be identified where confidence is low or knowledge is lacking, it is possible to put together training that addresses this, instead of going over old ground or trying to train people beyond their own sphere of understanding.

Staff confidence

Many staff soon become aware that their knowledge is not up to scratch when they start working and understand the challenges that they are going to face on a daily basis. By offering bespoke training, those staff members can do their job with much greater levels of confidence, ensuring that patients get a better all-round experience. When staff are confident and knowledgeable, they will feel better placed to offer positive practices, try new methods and demonstrate greater professional behaviours.

Once staff are confident, it makes them much more likely to want to develop their skills further. This makes them better prepared to undergo further training and expand their knowledge even further.

Regulatory compliance

The health and social care sector is governed by a significant number of regulations, and many of them look at the levels of staff training that are required, as well as the need to make this an ongoing process. This ensures that they are not only up to date with hands-on skills, but also complicated and ever-changing issues such as safeguarding. By providing bespoke training courses, it is much easier to ensure that organisations remain compliant with the laws and maintain the highest standards of care.

Staff turnover

There are high levels of staff turnover in the health and social care sector, as it can be extremely demanding. Many staff members are underprepared for their roles, and can soon feel overworked, underpaid and lacking in confidence and motivation. Providing tailor made training courses can help to address a lot of staff issues and show staff members at all levels that they are fully supported.

Once people feel happy and confident in their roles and can see that they are valued by their organisation and the sector as a whole, they are more likely to continue with their careers. This is more likely to make them engaged and empowered, which creates a healthier working environment.

Reducing staff turnover is also better for patients, who often need to be able to see a familiar face and work with someone who knows them and understands their needs. It can be very upsetting for vulnerable people to have to build new relationships with staff members, and so this allows them to have the continuity of care that they deserve.

Time efficiencies

For many organisations, the downside of training is the amount of time staff need to spend out of their daily roles to reach the levels that are needed. With bespoke training courses, it becomes possible to provide the exact knowledge that they need, ensuring that the time that is needed to train them is greatly reduced.

Bespoke training also allows for a lot more flexibility, and so it can be put together to work around the organisation both in the time taken and the location of the training. This means that organisations are not left short-handed or requiring agency staff for long and can have highly trained staff members working for them in a much shorter space of time.

Outstanding provision

Every health and social care provider should be aiming to offer outstanding levels of care to their patients. By not just offering staff development opportunities, but by making them targeted and relevant, organisations can improve the care that they offer in much greater leaps.

When all staff are being trained in this way, organisations put themselves in a better position to attain an ‘Outstanding’ grade from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and give patients and their loved one’s confidence in what you offer.

Bespoke training can sound difficult, but it is one of the best ways to support health and social care organisations, their staff and their patients. Ensuring everyone is working to the highest levels ensures better patient experiences and outcomes, which in turn boosts the reputation of the organisation, attracts even better staff and standards can continue to rise.