Staff training


celebrations. After discovering the person had been in the police force for years, they arranged for the day to be police themed and asked the local police force to visit as a surprise’. After a hugely successful launch among residents, Ideal Carehomes created a heart-warming #thisisme video featuring residents sharing their rich life history. The moving video shows a real human side to the care industry and the people within it, shining a light on their lives and feelings that kickstarted a culture change in Ideal’s approach to care, training and staff.


The video is now used as a powerful training tool, shown to all new starters and usually evokes an emotional response as they learn about the scheme and the importance of getting to know each resident personally, as well as being extended across all established staff as a team building exercise.


Again, teams were asked to share as much or as little about themselves as they would like and the results were excellent, with reports of noticeably higher morale. Feedback was incredibly encouraging as staff claimed they felt valued by management for taking the time to get to know them individually. New friendships were made with co- workers over new-found similarities, which in turn created a positive working environment where staff were much more likely to help one another and go above and beyond for their residents.


Induction training


The Ideal Academy’s induction training focuses on three key frameworks: theoretical knowledge, practical application of knowledge, and continuous learning and specialist skills training. The aim of which is to use a range of learning techniques to suit everyone and give all new staff the confidence they need to provide the highest levels of care ahead of their first day ‘on the job’.


Ideal Carehomes induction training focuses on a two-week programme, where individuals learn all about the ‘Ideal ethos’ and ‘resident first’ approach to caring. New staff will also learn all the practical skills they require to fulfil their new roles including key modules such as Communication and Person-Centred Care skills, Safeguarding, First Aid Awareness, Equality and Diversity, Dementia Awareness, Food Hygiene and Infection Control.


The trusted learning environment, in combination with highly skilled in-house trainers, helps to create a positive setting


November 2020 • www.thecarehomeenvironment.com


that immediately makes new recruits feel at ease. Trainees will also spend time shadowing different members of their team within the home to help them form friendships and support groups with other more experienced staff, ensuring new starters have a network of people that they feel comfortable seeking advice from post-training.


I believe that the combination of on the job training blended with theoretical learning gives new starters the self-belief in their skillset to hit the ground running in their new role. Right from the start, it is clear that we are 100 per cent committed to investing in our staff’s training and development throughout their career. Alongside the mandatory programme, all new recruits receive specialist training in areas such as end of life care, medication pathways, challenging behaviour, falls awareness and key software systems. As an extra support, homes implement a new starter ‘buddy system’, which works in tandem with regular, informal catch-ups and personal progress meetings with management to ensure that any issues are captured within the first few weeks of working in the home.


Home Champions


The Ideal Academy’s programmes and initiatives have been a brilliant tool for


identifying and closing gaps in the training and progression of Ideal Carehomes staff and is building on the success by putting further measures in place to continue to improve their approach.


One area of improvement that was identified was how to effectively guide new staff between training courses to ensure development continued to progress. The ‘Home Champions’ initiative was born to close that gap, giving experienced and continuously high performers within the home an opportunity to ‘champion’ an area of care that they feel passionately about such as dementia, safeguarding, end of life or medication.


CQC noted how staff at Good-rated care home Herald Lodge in Coventry were supported by training in their latest report in April told the regulator that the training was ‘very good and that they could request additional training if they needed it. Staff told us they had received training to understand and empathise with people living with dementia and this gave some insight into people's lives. One staff member also told us this helped staff understand the barriers people faced and how to support them appropriately’. To take on a ‘Championship’ means to guide other team members and oversee work within that subject field, ensuring continuously high standards and reporting feedback to management. This gives a clear support link and provides a key person for staff to direct any related questions to.


The passion exhibited from these mentor figures has increased the desire for other staff members to embrace their own area of interest with the hopes of securing a champion role of their own. Each ‘Champion’ also undertakes development and specialist training in their chosen field.


In short, the Home Championship programme is a brilliant way to give leadership experience to our senior and experienced staff while bridging gaps in knowledge for other staff members in their team. This has really worked to improve the overall skill of the team as everybody involved has something to gain, which benefits our residents and ensures the quality of care we provide is of the highest possible standard.


Ideal Futures


Ideal Carehomes are committed to giving back to the people within their homes that contribute every day to making them such wonderful places to work and live. Through the Ideal Academy, the Ideal Futures programme aims to progress


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