About the client
East Cheshire NHS Trust provides safe, effective, and personal care to their patients. They are a community and acute Trust serving a large population with over 2,500 staff who work across their community settings and three hospital sites.
Where they were
The primary challenge they faced was the inconsistency and inefficiency inherent in the paper-based Care Certificate process. Learners often lost their paper files, leading to significant delays and a lack of engagement from users and supervisors. This not only caused frustration but also hampered the timely completion of the Care Certificate.
What they wanted
The primary goal of the digital Care Certificate pilot was to enable the Trust to transition towards a paperless system. This aim aligns with the broader NHS Digital Agenda and the NHS Green Plan, which advocate for the digitisation of services to enhance efficiency, sustainability, and overall service delivery.
By digitising the Care Certificate process, they aimed to streamline certification, reduce administrative burdens, improve accuracy, and enhance staff engagement and satisfaction.
Their solution
To implement the change, they adopted a collaborative approach involving key stakeholders across various levels of the organisation. Senior leaders provided strategic direction, oversight, and support. Matrons, senior nurses, and ward managers played crucial roles in facilitating the transition at the operational level, offering support, and addressing concerns raised by the clinical staff.
The professional practice team was instrumental in developing and rolling out the digital Care Certificate pilot, working closely with People Alchemy to ensure the ePortfolio solution was tailored to the Trust’s specific needs.
Their results
The implementation of the digital Care Certificate pilot has led to significant improvements in both completion times and staff engagement. Previously, the paper-based process took 17 to 20 weeks, often extending 5 to 8 weeks beyond the intended 12-week programme. With the digital solution, learners are now completing the entire Care Certificate programme in 8 to 10 weeks. This substantial reduction in completion time highlights the efficiency of the new system. In the first 18 months, 77 staff have fully completed their Care Certificate.
What they said
The L&D team have received positive feedback from staff regarding their experience with the digital system. One testimonial noted, “Overall, the Care Certificate training has positively influenced my practice and enabled me to provide better care to those that I support.” This feedback underscores the enhanced engagement and satisfaction among staff, which are critical to retaining a motivated and competent workforce.
Key ingredients
- Easy to use technology for employees and admins
- Stakeholder involvement
- Close collaboration to tailor to their specific requirements
- Platform enables mentors to support learners
- Pathways ensure improved compliance
- Data reporting meets requirements of external governance bodies
Summary
Historically the Care Certificate was a paper based document that non-registered staff completed on joining the Trust. This manual paper process led to inconsistencies, delays, and inefficiencies. To address this, the Trust digitised the Care Certificate process in collaboration with People Alchemy. The digital ePortfolio solution streamlines the certification, ensuring consistent and timely completion.
Overall, the Trust achieved quicker completion times, improved accuracy, and enhanced staff satisfaction. This innovation has contributed to better compliance and a stronger focus on patient care. Beyond the initial pilot, the People Alchemy ePortfolio system continues to be used for the Care Certificate and is now being piloted for the delivery and assessment of Clinical Competencies.
Your next steps
Our solution provides the right tools, guidance, and flexibility needed to ensure you get the outcome you desire, and your staff receive the training they need in a format that works for them. To find out more and develop your own bespoke implementation, get in touch today.
