What is CPD in Health and Social Care?

Essential CPD Quality Standards

Health and social care workers are extraordinary people with significant responsibilities, and they deserve the very best training and support that is available to them.

Their roles mean that they must consistently stay on top of the latest developments in the healthcare and welfare sector, as well as understand the needs and wants of the many services users that rely on their efforts.

A care worker needs to know changes, improvements, and issues that affect:

• Treatments
• Medicine
• Technology
• Health & Safety
• Government regulations and legislation

This is where CPD becomes vital to this sector.

What is CPD?

CPD stands for “Continuing Professional Development” and represents the process of finding and recording the skills, knowledge, and experience gained during employment or personal training.

It doesn’t just cover induction and mandatory training in the workplace or even on-the-job experience. It covers the ongoing development and evolution of the knowledge base and skill set that an employee possesses.

It is the foundation of professional growth and achievement

CPD in a work setting consists of recorded experiences, gained education, and applied practices.

As with many organisations, an overall development plan will guide an employee’s climb up their chosen career ladder and ensure that the highest rung is well within their reach.

CPD represents a commitment towards the enrichment of personal skills and proficiency throughout all stages of a career path. It uses tried-and-trusted methods for educating and developing a person’s abilities until they can reach their full potential in that field.

Using CPD in Health and Social Care

CPD is especially effective for the training and development of health and social care workers.

Staff are fully supported, encouraged, and motivated to learn the very latest techniques, skills, and ideology when it comes to care work and the environments in which they work. It is also conducive to employees learning up-to-date safety practices and lawful practices.

As such, CPD activities is an exceptional way to help health and social care workers to learn and develop in their profession.

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) is the statutory regulator for over 280,000 professionals in health and care professions in the UK, whose primary purpose is to protect the public and ensure excellence in care. They support and encourage the principles of CPD or care staff, which can consist of work-based learning, professional activities, formal education, or self-learning.

The application of CPD in a care setting ensures that service users get the attention, support, and treatment that is needed for their well-being.

Healthcare professionals need to be officially registered, and CPD is a recognised and essential part of this process where renewal and entry is required.

Regulatory bodies, councils, and employers will typically set CPD standards that have to be met. This will include experience levels and the number of working hours that have been recorded, along with achievements and study that has also been documented. Guidance, support, and advice will be supplied throughout the registration renewal or application

Observing CPD in Health and Social Care Settings

A learner or employee who is actively pursuing a CPD plan will be expected to abide by the values of development in both their personal and professional life, display an acute commitment to their role.

This applies to all aspects of company policies, UK legislation, and governed regulations. These aspects of CPD will also need to be observed in their employees’ practice and considerations of their developmental path.

Accessing CPD in Health and Social Care

Service users should expect the right to the full and complete resources of a caring organisation. This means that all staff should have the requisite training and knowledge needed to supply this. It also means that an organisation is responsible for ensuring that the required education and learning tools are made accessible to their staff.

In the UK, the NHS is well aware of this requirement and incorporates CPD into their employees’ training and development plans. This also helps to provide achievable targets and goals for their services. Each health and social worker and assist them in developing professionally. The NHS utilises a KSF (Knowledge and Skills Framework) that identifies the abilities that a staff member needs to satisfactorily carry out their role and evolve their skill set.  In combination with tailored PDPs (Personal Development Plans), employees have the support and network to gain all the capabilities that they need to excel in their chosen field.

CPD Educational Techniques in Health and Social Care Settings

 In order for care staff to reach the peak of their potential and maximise their learning in the workplace, a variety of proven and effective methods will be used to assist their ongoing education and development.

These will include:

• Observation and supervision
• Conference attendance and participation
• Workshop attendance
• Brainstorming presence
• Self-study
• Course taking
• Mentoring and coaching colleagues
• Approved training paths
• Work experience in other facilities
• On-the-job training with full support

CPD is effective because it is flexible.

No one training path or development path will exactly match another. Yes, it can be structured and formalised. But it will also be moulded to fit the learner’s needs and the organisations’ requirements. This is a fundamental necessity of CPD standards, especially in care settings.

Whilst an organisation needs to be supportive of these principles, a care worker also has the responsibility for ensuring that their skill set and knowledge base is entirely up to standard. This is the mark of a true professional.

CPD Principles in Health and Social Care?

The awareness of the foundations of CPD and lifelong learning philosophy is critical to its successful integration into a care setting. Ideally, it will encompass an expansive professional and social network that will benefit workers, managers, service users, and the local community.

The five fundamental principles of CPD and Lifelong Learning in care settings are:

1. Take responsibility for active learning, both for yourself and others.
2. Provide benefits and support for service users.
3. Improve the quality of service and operations
4. Cooperate and coordinate with others in the workplace and beyond it
5. Document progress and prove the effect that learning has on a specific area of practice.

Knowing the Importance of CPD in Health and Social Care Settings

The best thing about CPD is that it benefits everyone, and they are no disadvantages if it is appropriately structured in the work environment. CPD benefits everyone.

Remember:

• It supports the learning and development of professionals
• It betters the reputation of an organisation and its service quality
• It delivers excellent care services to the general public and those who need it

Professional development is made accessible and available to all staff regardless of their age, title, or experience. This also supports critical aspects of workplace equality and diversity.

Knowledge gaps in teams are identified and can be quickly resolved, and existing qualifications can be built upon and taken to higher levels of acknowledgement and expertise.

CPD Caregiving Benefits for Individuals

An individual who may work at home or more remotely as a caregiver will also find CPD as supportive as a staff member in a busy facility.

Confidence in their abilities will grow, along with their proficiency and knowledge base. CPD give people the emotional and practical support to meet changes and changes in the care sector, regardless of their personal circumstance or setting.

CPD itself promotes healthy attitudes and techniques that are conducive to well-being and the maintenance of a content and productive environment, which is as equally safe and secure for staff as it is for service users. This allows professionals to grow and develop whilst knowing that they are being supported in their endeavours to providing a better service.

Final Thought on CPD in Health and Social Care

A true professional will always be keen to learn and grow in their role, no matter what it is or where they are in their journey in life. Embracing the principles of CPD means that you are taking personal responsibility for self-development as a care worker and the future of the care sector itself.

For more CPD like related queries and relevant CPD courses, visit CPDQS.