With the percentage of the population over 85 set to double in the next 20 years, it is widely reported that the current system does not always deliver the integrated care that people need, with gaps and miscommunication between different services and sectors.
Dignity in Dementia, on behalf of South Lakes Registered Social Care Managers’ Learning Network, applied for funding through Skills for Care’s Workforce Development Innovation Fund to create a training pack to assist inter-professional team working in health and social care services.
The aim of the training pack was to strengthen team work and the associated skills, in order to enhance safe, dignified and compassionate care.
Health and social care organisations in the area were asked to contribute real life situations that would benefit from the integration of health and social care services. A local amateur drama society and social care staff then came together to develop a video to demonstrate how different professionals may communicate with each other in these scenarios.
The project brought together a range of professionals – including GPs, district nurses, social workers, care home assistants and registered managers – to discuss the videos and explore how they could work together in each situation.
One senior care worker who took part said the project “certainly changed awareness that everyone is under pressure to deliver good care, not just you. Everyone from carers, social workers, district nurses and GPs.”
A workbook to accompany the film is available for other organisations to use alongside the videos, as a tool to promote discussion about communication and a shared understanding of each other’s roles. It can be downloaded here.
The individuals involved in the trial of the toolkit reported that they had a better understanding of the need to build effective relationships with other professionals. Through offering staff the opportunity to critically review scenario based interactions, participants reported an increased understanding and empathy towards the others involved.
One care home manager said: “I don’t think it should be a one-off. If there are any grievances we should come together to iron them out – like we did today where we saw different problems - it was excellent to be part of that.”
More information on the project is available on the Learn from Others website if you search in the dementia care section.
If you’re interested in applying for funding for a project you are involved in, you can find out more about the Workforce Development Innovation Fund here. Please note applications open each spring and you can sign up to Skills for Care enews to be kept informed here.
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