HCA Healthcare UK announce partnership with Talent Beyond Boundaries
HCA Healthcare UK has partnered with the nonprofit Talent Beyond Boundaries, welcomes 30 forcibly displaced healthcare professionals into roles in the UK. HCA Healthcare UK has partnered with the independent charity Talent Beyond Boundaries, to open international employment and migration pathways and welcome thirty forcibly displaced healthcare professionals to fill talent gaps. The partnership has been launched as part of HCA UK’s ongoing commitment to building exceptional and diverse teams, by employing the most talented colleagues in the healthcare sector. Launching at The Wellington Hospital this month, the programme makes HCA UK the first independent healthcare provider to employ fully qualified nurses who have been granted skilled visas after being forcibly displaced. Looking forward, the healthcare provider will be extending the programme out to the wider HCA UK network. Displaced from their home country by conflict and civil unrest, these colleagues have been recruited into staff nurse roles across ITU, oncology, medical or surgical wards. The first cohort will start this month, with a further cohort of colleagues set to arrive later this year. All international recruits are offered support to ensure they can find immediate housing in the UK, alongside local community, and pastoral support. Talent Beyond Boundaries is also working with the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN) to extend the scheme to the wider independent healthcare sector, including through a number of pilots to recruit refugee and displaced physiotherapists and radiographers. John Reay, President & Chief Executive Officer of HCA Healthcare UK, said: “We are extremely proud to drive this programme forward, to build on our recruitment of talented, highly skilled colleagues from the UK and overseas. This new partnership demonstrates the invaluable contribution forcibly displaced professionals can bring to our society and economy. “Our new colleagues join our already exceptional teams who are focused on ensuring every patient has the highest quality care and experience with us and we are delighted to welcome them to HCA UK.” Marina Brizar, UK Director at Talent Beyond Boundaries, said: “By engaging with governments, refugee-serving organisations, the private sector, and local communities, Talent Beyond Boundaries is pioneering Displaced Talent Mobility which enable displaced people to move for work, resume their careers, and rebuild their lives with dignity. “Our latest partnership with HCA Healthcare UK establishes a fantastic opportunity for forcibly displaced individuals to work in the UK as qualified professionals in the roles they are trained for, and we are excited to see these remarkable nurses reach their full potential.” On starting as a Pre-Registered Nurse at The Wellington Hospital, Firass Lababidi, added: “Pursuing a nursing career in Lebanon was near impossible due to my Palestinian refugee status. Despite having a Master’s degree and almost 9 years of training and experience, I was turned away at every point. It’s difficult to put into words what a lifeline this opportunity is for me, both for my career and my livelihood. The first few weeks have been a whirlwind, but I’m so excited to now be settled in and starting off in my new role.” David Hare, Chief Executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network, said: “It’s been a privilege for IHPN to work with Talent Beyond Boundaries and enable independent healthcare providers, such as HCA Healthcare UK, to support this fantastic initiative to help refugee and displaced healthcare professionals rebuild their lives and put their skills to use. “Independent providers treat millions of NHS and private patients every year, and these new partnerships with Talent Beyond Boundaries are simply a win-win situation – ensuring that the sector has the workforce it needs, as well as enabling them to play their own small part in tackling one of the world’s biggest humanitarian challenges.” * For more information, visit: https://www.talentbeyondboundaries.org/
Why not consider an apprenticeship to start your career in healthcare?
During National Careers Week, Northamptonshire Health and Care Partnership (NHCP) is highlighting the many benefits of taking an apprenticeship route into a healthcare career for people of all ages. Apprenticeships offer people on the job training and the chance to earn and learn. Apprenticeships lead to nationally recognised qualifications and are a unique stepping-stone into a chosen career. NHCP has recruited a record 300 apprentices in the last 12 months into a variety of health and care roles including nursing degrees and nursing associate roles, as well as pharmaceutical, engineering and administrative roles in business, IT, HR and finance. Laura Lydia Watts, Project Manager for Apprenticeships and Work Experience at NHCP said, “This National Careers Week we want to highlight the many varied apprenticeship opportunities in health and care. For school leavers looking to develop a career in healthcare, but who don’t know where to start, an apprenticeship can offer an opportunity to develop self-confidence, gain valuable work experience and to earn while learning.” One young apprentice is 20-year-old Casey Brown, who has just completed a Children and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMMS) apprenticeship at Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust. Casey is currently on a two-year apprenticeship and has recently submitted her final piece of work. As well as working on a ward, Casey has one study day off every two weeks to complete assignments and meet her tutor. Casey says, “I really enjoy the work environment and I love working with patients from the first time they come in and are not feeling well, to the point of them being discharged and seeing the fantastic improvement. “During the apprenticeship I’ve received great support from the people around me who have always shown interest in what I’m trying to achieve. I had a brilliant mentor on the ward and guidance was also always available from nurses whenever I required it. “Apprenticeships are well suited to people who prefer hands-on experience rather than classroom-based work. Through the course, I met a range of healthcare experts and had real-life experiences on the ward which really helped with the assignments. “I now find it easier to communicate with other people and feel less nervous and more confident. I am working alongside nurses who engage with patients and their families and they help me deal with any challenges that may arise.” Another young apprentice is 21-year-old Elanor Jones, an ESR Administrator (Workforce Systems Administrator) who has been working at Kettering General Hospital since June 2019. Elanor did not have any qualifications when she left school so getting a qualification from an apprenticeship programme is a huge bonus for her. Elanor says, “I really love my role and the way the hospital motivates you to develop and build your career. The support I’ve received from the team and my manager has been amazing and training is ongoing to help me progress. “There are great career opportunities for apprenticeships in healthcare, with the variety and diversity of roles within the NHS, which makes it such a great place to work. The best thing about being an apprentice is getting the experience as well as getting paid.” For apprenticeship jobs please visit: www.jobs.nhs.uk To ‘find your future career’ in health and care, please visit: FindYourCareer. Several of Northamptonshire’s health and care providers are part of the ‘Best of Both Worlds’ recruitment campaign, which unites the University of Northampton, Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust, Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (KGH), Primary Care and St Andrew’s Healthcare in recruiting doctors and nurses to relocate and live and work in Northamptonshire. Part of the campaign is focused on recruiting apprentices across the county. For more details on apprenticeships available visit: www.bestofbothworlds.uk.net/northamptonshire-apprenticeships/ For more information on other vacancies visit: www.bestofbothworlds.uk.net
Bupa care home workers recruited via youth scheme
A group of young Bupa care home workers were recruited to the care sector via a scheme with the Prince’s Trust and Barclays/ The next steps for Bupa’s partnership with The Prince’s Trust and Barclays’ Connect with Work programme were announced this week. The care home operator plans to expand the programme into five further areas during the first half of 2020, working with its homes in Cardiff, Southampton, Birmingham, London and Edinburgh. Around 50 young people will benefit from the plans to secure traineeships at Bupa. Aimed at people from often-overlooked communities who are struggling to get a foot on the career ladder, the Connect with Work programme offers training and skills-based sessions, as well as hands-on experience with employers. Shelley Haynes, who manages employability programmes at Bupa, explains: “After a successful pilot last year, we’re really excited to expand the number of homes involved in Barclays’ Connect with Work programme. It’s such a rewarding project – not only for the young people who can build their CVs and their confidence, but for the homes too. “We’ve chosen these five additional areas as they’re all areas where our network overlaps with that from The Prince’s Trust. For example, we’ve five homes around Southampton, so will be able to welcome trainees into a number of roles. “We’ve been blown away by the quality of the candidates we’ve met so far and have been able to recruit people who are perfect for our homes, who otherwise might not have considered working in the sector. Here’s hoping for even more great results in 2020.” Since Bupa joined Barclays’ Connect with Work programme in 2019, a total of 13 young people have now undertaken placements at Bupa’s Kensington care home in West London. Split across two cohorts, in June and November, the individuals received hands-on experience alongside care home workers throughout all areas of the home including activities, catering, housekeeping and maintenance. To date, four of the trainees have become care home workers at Bupa’s The Kensington home, while one has been offered a role at Bupa’s Heathgrove Lodge in Wimbledon. Bupa colleagues also continue to look for suitable care home vacancies for the other candidates. Barclays’ Connect with Work programme is a unique employability programme connecting people who are facing barriers to work with businesses that are recruiting. Working in partnership with impactful charity partners, including The Prince’s Trust, the programme provides job-specific skills training that meets the needs of both the people being supported into work and businesses that are recruiting. For more information, visit www.bupa.com.
How can care homes attract more staff?
Emma Platt, division manager of White Recruitment Health & Social Care, one of the UK’s foremost recruiters for care homes, discusses recruiting and retaining good-quality staff members… As the UK healthcare sector continues to suffer from the worst staffing crisis in recent memory, more and more care homes are being forced to shut down. In addition to this, with an ageing population, the strain on these institutions is only set to increase. However, despite an unfavourable staffing situation, there are still many things that care homes can do to attract more nurses. CPD Offering and encouraging nurses to pursue training and development helps greatly with attraction, and also retention – with one survey suggesting 70% of workers will remain in their roles due to job-related training and development. By becoming known as a care home that gives nurses the chance to progress through the ranks, and actively encouraging them to take charge of their careers – you will be seen as a far more appealing place to work. Mentoring Tying in closely with CPD, mentoring is another key approach to boost attraction. By being known as an organisation that gives mentoring to young employees, provides them with feedback, guidance, and the opportunity to soak up the valuable experience within your workforce, you can take advantage of an easy, cost-effective way to bring more nurses into the fold. Flexible working It’s vital to offer employees as much as possible in terms of work-life balance, as the excessively demanding schedules of care workers are in part contributing to the current crisis. This can be done by introducing non-traditional working arrangements such as flexible working. The desire for this is clear, especially amongst younger workers, with 67% of millennials claiming ‘flexi-time’ was something they expected as standard from a job. Technological advances, such as e-rostering and e-job planning, should make this easier to implement. Employer Brand A strong employer brand is key to talent attraction, and retention. Research shows 63% of employees admit that a trusted employer increases job satisfaction. Care homes need to build a relevant Employee Value Proposition (EVP) for potential recruits. This can be achieved in a number of ways, such as finding a recruitment partner that is well placed to assist with communicating an authentic, attractive employer brand. Ultimately, with plenty of more ‘fashionable’ brands to compete with, care homes must take action to get in front of young audiences and give people a glimpse of some of the high-tech, cutting edge work going in the sector. Communicate your purpose Any employer brand must also communicate your purpose across all touchpoints. Many workers nowadays, especially millennials and gen Z, are value-driven and committed to finding a company that aligns with their beliefs. By emphasising the ethical, socially minded aspects of working in a care home, and the difference that can be made in patients’ lives – recruitment will be a far easier job. Highlight the ways your organisation gives back and is actively engaged in the community, and make sure you are vocal about your core values – and that this is integrated into any employer branding. No ‘one size fits all’ approach Ultimately, there is no magic solution for solving the current staffing crisis in care homes. However, by embracing the above methods, those in the sector can begin turning things around. Fortunately, these solutions are interchangeable, and by embracing any one method, you will be going some way to implementing the others. For instance, by investing in flexible working solutions, your employer brand will benefit.
Care sector jobs – new appointments, promotions and vacancies
Care sector jobs – Care & Nursing Essentials magazine presents a round-up of new appointments, promotions and vacancies at care providers and within the wider social care sector. Darley Dale Apprentice wins Health & Care Hero Award November 2019 17-year-old Health & Social Care Apprentice, Nell Matthews, was recently presented with the prestigious Heath & Care Hero Award at the Darley Dale Community Awards. The award recognises her dedication and commitment to her role at Darley Dales’ Ivonbrook Care Home, celebrating her enthusiasm and excellence at work. Working towards her Health & Social Care Level 2, Nell has gone from strength to strength in the world of care, learning alongside the homes’ experienced carers how to provide the best care service possible. Nell attended the glittering award ceremony to accept her award, enjoying a night of much-deserved celebration. Nell commented on her achievement, saying: “I was really grateful to have been nominated for the award, let alone to have won it. “I didn’t always have the best time at school, but I’ve never let it hold me back. “With my apprenticeship, I’m learning while on the job – gaining valuable work experience all while working towards a well-recognised qualification. “Working in care is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. “For me, caring is about helping the residents maintain their dignity and independence. It can be emotionally draining at times but it’s still a great feeling to be able to help someone in need.” To learn more about our excellent Carers and the support and companionship they provide to help our residents enjoy later life, get in touch with a member of our team on 01629 735306. Canford Healthcare announces new appointment at Hampton Care Home October 2019 Canford Healthcare, a leading provider of nursing, residential and dementia care services in south west London, is pleased to announce the appointment of Anne Trigg RMN as Home Manager of Hampton Care Home. Anne brings a wealth of valuable and very varied experience to the role. Not only is she a qualified chef, baker and butcher – courtesy of the Women’s Royal Air Force – but she is also a mental health trainer, university lecturer and psychiatric nurse who spent 15 years working with patients on a secure unit. Since moving over to elderly care, Anne has held a number of senior management posts for well-known companies including Caring Homes and Royal British Legion, where she oversaw several CQC outstanding ratings. One of her main priorities is to reinforce the home’s commitment to person-centred care, ensuring that residents are supported to live full and active lives, as far as possible. “As soon as people become elderly others try to stop them from doing things they’ve always done. They are people with wisdom, not children,” she says. “Why should they not do what they enjoy, simply because they live in a care home? Our role is to protect them, not take away their choice.” Anne is already enjoying working with her new team. “Every day our dedicated and highly skilled staff endeavor to deliver the best care to residents. But we won’t rest on our laurels because we can always be better at what we do!” Caron Sanders-Crook, Operations Manager says: “We are delighted to welcome Anne as the new manager of Hampton Care Home. We believe that her particular set of knowledge, skills and experience, together with her person-centred approach to residents, add up to a formidable combination that will take Hampton from strength to strength.” Anne is ably assisted by recently promoted Mobin Jacob Philip, the home’s former clinical lead, as well as the rest of the Hampton team. Chief Nurse appointed to drive quality governance and clinical compliance procedures September 2019 Florence, the recruitment marketplace connecting nursing and care home providers with qualified professionals to fill temporary shifts, today announces it has appointed Fiona Millington to the newly created position of Chief Nurse. In her new role, Fiona will lead clinical governance systems and processes across the organisation. She will be working closely with the management team to develop frameworks and policies that support quality, compliance and safety for all RNs and carers engaged by Florence and the residents they support. With over thirty years of nursing experience, Fiona began her career in nursing as a registered nurse in Bristol where she completed her training. She has subsequently enjoyed a varied and successful nursing and academic career, having previously held the position of Associate Chief Nurse at the University Hospital North Midlands and lectured at Keele University on nursing theory and practice. Fiona has a passion for looking after older people and during her role as Matron at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, she helped to launch a Frail Elderly Assessment Unit – an older person’s alternative to A&E. This model, now in its tenth year, was believed to be the first of its kind and has gone on to be adopted up and down the country. Fiona said, “Nursing is a privileged role, supporting people and their loved ones during times when they need it most. It requires kindness, compassion and clinical expertise, factors that all contribute to delivering quality patient care and the effective management of the clinical environment including nursing and residential care home settings. “I was attracted to Florence because it offers me the opportunity to bring my experience and passion for governance to a growing business and nursing network. The issue of temporary staffing and recruitment in the social care sector needs to be addressed and I look forward to being part of the solution, helping with the development of a more flexible workforce, which is effective and efficient.” Charles Armitage, Co-founder and CEO at Florence, said: “I am delighted to welcome Fiona to Florence as we expand our team in order to support our planned growth trajectory. She brings a wealth of experience and a strong track record of governance and compliance leadership. I have no doubt that she will make
Online Questionnaire for Potential Recruits Launched
Sunrise Senior Living UK and Gracewell Healthcare Launch Online Questionnaire for Potential Recruits Sunrise Senior Living UK and Gracewell Healthcare have launched an innovative recruitment questionnaire for potential candidates to find out whether a career in care is right for them. The care organisations carried out comprehensive research through research groups and worked in conjunction with a business psychologist to develop the online ‘Self-Selection Questionnaire,’ enabling them to take a values-based approach in their selection process. Self-selection refers to the process where a jobseeker is given information about the more challenging aspects of a vacancy and employer as well as the positives, in order to better enable them to make an informed decision about whether to apply for a job role. The new tool will allow interested candidates, including people that may not have had a career in care before, to ‘look in and see’ what a role in care at Sunrise and Gracewell is like, as well as the qualities they need to be successful. The organisations are specifically looking to reduce their attrition point, where workers leave a role, and ensure overall retention of team members, especially within the first 90 days of joining. Used by large national businesses such as Marks & Spencer and British Airways to recruit team members, self-selection has been found to significantly reduce resignation rates, which are high among recent recruits, and, according to 61% of employers, improve the performance and motivation of newly hired team members. Its reasoning is simple: the aim is to ensure that the candidate, if offered the role, accepts with full understanding of what is expected of them by managers, customers, fellow team members and anyone else they may interact with. Sunrise and Gracewell hope that as they create and shape their employer value proposition (EVP), the questionnaire will allow for a richer candidate experience to engage with the organisations at the earliest opportunity and be informed about what lies ahead. The questionnaire will now be placed onto the Sunrise and Gracewell Careers sites and elsewhere online to direct potential candidates to complete it before they submit an application. David Evans, Head of Talent Acquisition at Sunrise Senior Living UK and Gracewell Healthcare, said: “We’re delighted to have developed such an advanced and invaluable online tool to ensure that we are recruiting the care leaders of tomorrow. “We believe this tool will allow us to engage with a wider pool of potential candidates at Sunrise Senior Living UK and Gracewell Healthcare, including those who may not have considered a career in care before. “The questionnaire is confidential and doesn’t need to be taken to see our current opportunities, but it does give a greater insight into our world before someone commences the application process. We hope that it will encourage potential applicants to know with full confidence whether care is the right pathway for them.”
Calling All Those Thinking About A Career In Care
Local children and young adults’ charity, Chailey Heritage Foundation is inviting those thinking about a career in care to join them at its Career Open Day and Roadshows, held around Sussex in September. As part of recruitment drive, Chailey Heritage Foundation is holding the open day and three pop up events for those interested in becoming support workers to the children and young people with complex physical disabilities and high health needs that attend the school and residential facility: · Friday 20th September – Uckfield Civic Centre 10am-2pm · Tuesday 24th September – Burgess Hill Shopping Centre 10am-2pm · Thursday 26th September – Haywards Heath Waitrose 10am-2pm · Saturday 28th September – Chailey Heritage Foundation, 10am-12pm The events give those interested in a career in care the opportunity to talk to members of the Chailey Heritage team and have a chance to see how the nationally recognised centre of excellence makes a difference to both those they support and their families and friends. The local charity is looking for carers, with both experience and new to the care for a number of roles including day and night support workers, bank support, for those wanting a more flexible work pattern, and community support workers. Rob Hambrook, Head of Community Operations for Chailey Heritage Foundation, comments, “Our support workers are the heart of what we do here at Chailey Heritage and their role is integral to the wellbeing and happiness of every one of the young people. The role not only brings opportunities to those looking for a career in care, or the next step up on their career ladder, but also gives those they care for the opportunity to reach their full potential and prepare them for life.” Kate, who presently works at Chailey Heritage as a support worker continues, “Working with the children and young people and their families at Chailey Heritage is life changing. You have the opportunity to understand the support these amazing young people and their families need and how you can make a difference as well as learn skills and gain experience in how to care for those with complex disabilities and high health needs.” Renumeration packages range from £ 17,127-£ 20,090 dependent on experience (based on 37 hours per week) with comprehensive benefits. To book a place on the open day, call 01825 724 444 ext 709 or Click Here to book your free place or by using Eventbrite.
Care home nurses are REAL nurses
Recruiting and retaining the right care home nurses in order to tackle the social care crisis: by Lindsay Dingwall, Clinical/Academic Nurse Consultant for Older People at the University of Dundee and Lead Educator of the Care Home Nursing: Changing Perceptions course. We already know that there is a crisis in nurse recruitment in the NHS, but care homes especially, are losing out in the race to recruit registered nurses with the best knowledge, skills and talent. Ironically, if care homes close, aside from some of the most vulnerable people in our society being denied the care they need, the NHS also suffers. So why are care home nurses not more valued? Care home work can still be viewed as undesirable and unskilled; notably not by care home nurses who elect to practice in care homes. They recognise that they are skilled nurses who work autonomously to deliver complex, and at times highly specialist, care. These are the nurses who must take up the gauntlet of “selling” care home careers to nursing students. The use of technology in acute hospitals is commonly viewed as skilled care: but the skill comes from the practitioner’s knowledge and experience of when and how to use technology to save lives. Nursing students learn to value this “scientific” care over the “art” of nursing from different sources – the public fascination with emergency drama, driven by the media, other nursing professionals in their pre-registration programmes, and admittedly, from some care home placements. Nursing students still report after specialist older people placements that they did not use their technical skills and so they did not learn. Preparing care home nurses for the job Nurse education must shift from focusing on medical models of acute in-patient care, to preparing nurses for the evolving health and social care landscape. Care home nurses and nurse educators must work together to develop placement experiences for nursing students that build on their theoretical and practical knowledge. Placements should demonstrate the complexity, not just of health and social care delivery, but the physical, psychological, social and spiritual complexity of each resident. To attract future nurses, care home nurses and educators need to invest time and expertise in teaching nursing students that the art of nursing, those hidden and often undervalued skills, is integral to the best healthcare experiences and quality of life, not just of residents but of nurses themselves. Nurses in care homes require a breadth of nursing knowledge and skills that reflect current developments in health and social care. They require skills from a diverse range of specialities: medical skills to manage cardiac and respiratory conditions; community skills to help people live with long term conditions like diabetes and Parkinson’s Disease, palliative and end of life care skills and mental health skills. They are required to demonstrate leadership and critical thinking, often without the same access to immediate support that hospital nurses may have. In fact, often during the immediate onset of a resident’s health deteriorating, or a crisis in staffing or in the care home environment, the care home nurse is the sole decision maker with the accountability and responsibility for these initial decisions. Small positive changes made within care home environments can impact on every person’s lives and nurses have the flexibility to make these changes. Care home nurses, far from losing their skills have the opportunity to develop rewarding careers. The relationships developed within the “family” of the care home may be reward enough for some. Other care homes nurses may progress towards more senior posts or into clinical leadership and education. Care home nurses must be vocal about the rewarding nature of the job, the high level of responsibility and the opportunities for career progression. Care home work involves looking after those with some of the most complex care needs and care home nurses are real nurses who are educated, artful, innovative, resourceful and passionate. For more information on training for care home nurses, see dundee.ac.uk
Busting the myths around the DBS check
As most people working within the care industry will know, all staff in care homes, hospitals and working as care providers in someone else’s home are subject to a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check. Employers can encounter staffing problems if DBS checks aren’t done quickly and efficiently. Here, Care & Nursing Essentials editor Victoria Galligan busts some of the myths regarding DBS checks and explores what a DBS check actually is, who needs one and how to avoid costly delays when applying… There is only one level of DBS check for care workers Yes – for general employees in England and Wales there are three levels of DBS check – Basic, Standard and Enhanced. However, an Enhanced with DBS Barred List check is required for all staff carrying out “regulated activity” who work with vulnerable adults who fall into the definition of adults set out in section 59 of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (before it was amended by the PoFA). Not all elderly people are classed as vulnerable adults True – but those requiring care are. The DBS clarify what a vulnerable adult is on their website, and the term ‘vulnerable adult’ was amended after it was felt to be inappropriate to label an adult as vulnerable solely due to their circumstances, age or disability. It states that, in general terms, a person aged 18 or over is classed as vulnerable when they are receiving one of the following services: All care work is classed as regulated activity True. Regulated activity – which a barred person is prohibited from doing – is clarified by the Department of Health document Regulated Activity (Adults) and there are six categories within the new definition of regulated activity which are listed above. There are similar rules concerning care employees working with children and the government document Regulated Activity in Relation to Children: Scope clarifies what is considered regulated activity which a barred person must not do. This is important to check, as regulated activity does not cover certain activity if it is supervised by another adult. But generally, all forms of health care relating to physical or mental health – including palliative care and procedures similar to medical or surgical care, advice or guidance provided for children relating to their physical, emotional or educational well-being and personal care cannot be carried out by someone on the barred list. If someone only works with vulnerable adults occasionally, it’s not regulated activity False: the Department of Health states: “There is no longer a requirement for a person to carry out the activities a certain number of times before they are engaging in regulated activity. Any time a person engages in the activities [listed above], they are engaging in regulated activity.” Staff such as porters and cleaners don’t need a DBS check It depends – any member of staff who carries out regulated activity with vulnerable adults needs an Enhanced DBS check. The DBS checking service check.co.uk clarifies: “This includes porters who transport patients around a hospital, as ‘conveying’ those who are receiving healthcare is listed as part of the definition of regulated activity.” However, people working for care homes who have access to care facilities but do not carry out a regulated activity – in roles such as food, cleaning, office work or maintenance – will likely be eligible for a Standard DBS check. Volunteers don’t need a DBS check Wrong – volunteers are under the same rules as paid workers but they can apply for a DBS check free of charge. The DBS checking service CRBS says of Enhanced DBS checks: “This level of check is only available to request on behalf of applicants who are working or volunteering in certain roles. For Enhanced DBS checks, this typically includes those interacting with children or vulnerable adults.” Employers have to pay for staff members’ DBS checks Not necessarily – it’s up to the employer whether or not to foot the bill. One DBS advisory service, clear check.co.uk. states: “There is no law which states that employers should be the ones who cover the cost of having a DBS check done, it’s just good practice for the employer to shoulder the cost. Not all employers take this approach though, and some may ask employees to stump up the cash themselves. For people who move jobs regularly of have more than one employer might then find themselves quite out of pocket, so if applying for a job which requires DBS checks it is worth enquiring about the process at the interview stage.” The answer to this may be to take out an Enhanced with DBS Barred List check, which costs £44, and pay the extra £13 to be added to the Update Service. This £13 is a yearly fee which will allow the applicant to make changes, and for the employer to make a status check of the certificate to see if changes have been made. And remember, with NHS staff complaining in the media recently that they are having to pay their own fees in some roles, employers have the opportunity to show how much the employee is valued by covering the cost. Employees can transfer their DBS check from job to job Possibly. If employees opt to be added to the Update Service, a new DBS check is not necessarily required for each place they work in – it’s up to the new employer. The Update Service website says employees will only need a new DBS check if: Employees can process a DBS check themselves Not for an Enhanced or Standard DBS check – they can only be done via the employer, who must use an “umbrella body” company to process the applications. They umbrella body can help avoid mistakes and omissions and generally speed up the time taken from application to receipt of the DBS certificate. And remember checks should be done on a regular basis to ensure they are still current – another reason to opt for the Update Service which will list new criminal convictions. The
