Health: Healthcare Assistance

Debate between Baroness Maddock and Earl Howe

Wednesday 13th February 2013 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

The noble Baroness as ever raises an important issue. She will know that the code of conduct for nurses specifically covers supervision where necessary. My department has instigated a number of measures to support local decision-making to get skill mix profiles right. They include the QIPP programme, which is a key driver for getting the skill mix right through producing tools and programmes in that area. The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement supplies case studies and other resources to help NHS provider organisations deliver their QIPP strategies, and NHS employers also deliver guidance and support to help employers better plan their workforce.

[Baroness Maddock]

My Lords, given that the Care Quality Commission has highlighted the problems of people having too many different carers and of them not arriving at the right time—I can vouch for that; my mother is nearly 94 and has care twice a day—does he agree that managers of rosters need better training to enable them to make much better provision for carers and those they care for?

[Earl Howe]

I agree with my noble friend. It is an extremely important issue. Part of this relates to employers, part of it relates to those who are charged with supervising healthcare assistants, but part relates to induction training. The Prime Minister announced on 4 January that the CQC will undertake a review of induction training for care staff to ensure that nobody can provide unsupervised help without an appropriate level of training.