Council gets £450k grant to develop local adult social care workforce

A total of £458,799 will be spent on a range of initiatives designed to enhance social care delivery locally, including the establishment of a behaviour-based recruitment pilot with independent home care providers which will be based on core values.

The pilot will focus on emphasising the key traits needed - including compassion, dignity, integrity, respect and responsibility - to deliver excellent, personalised and effective care to vulnerable adults and older people.

Training and awareness programmes

Other work with the growing market will include training and awareness programmes on assistive technology - devices such as sensors and alarms which allow people to be cared for in their own homes for longer rather than being admitted to a care home.

It is planned this part of the project will help reduce unnecessary admissions to hospital and assist with swifter discharges for some hospital patients.

The council will also work with partners including the NHS, care providers and the Oxfordshire Association of Care Providers to ensure an appropriately skilled and trained workforce is in place to meet the increasing demand for adult social care services.

The scheme complements three recent county council-organised social care careers events in Oxfordshire.

Money to be put to good use

Councillor Judith Heathcoat, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: "I am delighted that we successfully bid for this grant and it will be money that will be put to excellent use locally by developing the local adult social care market.

"We have an ageing population and demand for social care is on the rise. One of this council's key priorities is to help people stay and be cared for in their own homes for as long as possible and this cash will assist with the work involved in doing that."

The funding was successfully bid for from Health Education Thames Valley.