Induction & Training
Under CQC Regulation 18, providers must ensure that staff are suitably qualified, competent, skilled, and experienced to deliver safe, effective care. Induction and ongoing training are essential components of meeting this requirement.
CQC Regulation 18: Staffing
Regulation 18 requires providers to employ “sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, competent, skilled and experienced persons” and to ensure that staff receive “appropriate support, training, professional development, supervision and appraisal.” New staff must complete an induction that meets the Care Certificate standards before working unsupervised. Existing staff must have ongoing training, supervision, and development opportunities.
The Care Certificate
The Care Certificate was introduced in April 2015 and applies to all new health and social care workers. It sets out the minimum standards that new workers should be trained to before they can work without day-to-day supervision. It consists of 15 standards, each covering a fundamental area of knowledge and skill. The Care Certificate should be completed within 12 weeks of starting work.
Although the Care Certificate is not a legal requirement in itself, CQC inspectors will expect to see evidence that new staff have been inducted to at least Care Certificate level. Skills for Care recommends that the Care Certificate is completed by all new starters, including those with prior qualifications, as it ensures a consistent baseline of knowledge.
The 15 Care Certificate Standards
Understand Your Role
Your job description, employment rights, responsibilities, and the aims and values of your organisation.
Your Personal Development
How to identify your learning needs, create a personal development plan, and engage in reflective practice.
Duty of Care
Your legal obligation to provide safe and appropriate care, and the importance of working within your scope of practice.
Equality and Diversity
Respecting and promoting each person's individuality, diversity, and human rights, and challenging discrimination.
Work in a Person-Centred Way
Putting the person at the centre of their care, respecting their preferences, and supporting their independence.
Communication
Effective communication skills, including verbal, non-verbal, and written communication, and the importance of accurate record-keeping.
Privacy and Dignity
Maintaining people's privacy and dignity in all aspects of care, including personal care, conversations, and information sharing.
Fluids and Nutrition
Supporting people to maintain adequate hydration and nutrition, and recognising signs of poor intake or dehydration.
Awareness of Mental Health, Dementia, and Learning Disability
Understanding common conditions, how they affect people, and how to provide effective and compassionate support.
Safeguarding Adults
Recognising signs of abuse, understanding your duty to report concerns, and knowing how to respond to disclosures.
Safeguarding Children
Awareness of safeguarding responsibilities towards children and young people, including recognising signs of abuse and reporting concerns.
Basic Life Support
Knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and basic first aid, appropriate to your role and working environment.
Health and Safety
Understanding of health and safety legislation, risk assessment, safe moving and handling, infection control, and fire safety.
Handling Information
How to handle confidential information correctly, including data protection, record-keeping, and information sharing.
Infection Prevention and Control
Understanding how infections spread and the measures to prevent and control them, including hand hygiene and PPE.
Mandatory Training
In addition to the Care Certificate, all care staff must complete ongoing mandatory training. This is training that every employee must undertake, regardless of their role, to ensure the safety of residents, staff, and visitors. The specific topics and their frequency may vary between organisations, but the following are widely recognised as mandatory in care homes.
Health and Safety at Work
AnnualOverview of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employer and employee responsibilities, risk assessment, and safe working practices.
Moving and Handling
AnnualSafe principles of moving and handling, use of hoists and slings, risk assessment for manual handling tasks, and relevant legislation.
Infection Prevention and Control
AnnualHand hygiene, PPE use, sharps management, outbreak management, and the chain of infection.
Safeguarding Adults
Annual (Level 1/2); 3-yearly (Level 3)Recognising abuse, reporting concerns, the Care Act 2014 safeguarding duties, and Making Safeguarding Personal.
Fire Safety
AnnualFire prevention, evacuation procedures, fire extinguisher use, and personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs).
Medication Awareness
AnnualThe 5 Rights of medication, MAR chart completion, storage requirements, and what to do when errors occur.
First Aid
Every 3 yearsBasic first aid skills including CPR, dealing with choking, bleeding, burns, and shock. Some staff require full First Aid at Work certificate.
Food Hygiene
Every 3 yearsSafe food handling, storage, preparation, and service. Relevant for all staff involved in food preparation or serving.
Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
AnnualUnderstanding the five principles of the Mental Capacity Act, assessing capacity, best interests decisions, and DoLS authorisation.
Equality and Diversity
AnnualUnderstanding the Equality Act 2010, protected characteristics, challenging discrimination, and promoting inclusive practice.
COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health)
AnnualIdentifying hazardous substances in the workplace, risk assessment, and safe handling, storage, and disposal.
Data Protection and GDPR
AnnualUnderstanding the UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018, data handling, confidentiality, and subject access requests.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Learning does not stop after the Care Certificate. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is the ongoing process of maintaining, improving, and extending your knowledge, skills, and competence throughout your career. CQC inspectors will look for evidence that staff are continually learning and developing.
- Qualifications: Level 2, 3, 4, and 5 Diplomas in Health and Social Care; adult social care apprenticeships
- Specialist training: dementia awareness, end of life care, diabetes management, stroke awareness, epilepsy management
- Reflective practice: keeping a reflective journal, participating in clinical supervision, and learning from incidents
- Online learning: e-learning modules, webinars, and distance learning courses
- Leadership development: aspiring managers should consider the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care