Month: September 2024

At Advantage Accreditation, we pride ourselves on our rigorous yet supportive process of accrediting Continuous Professional Development (CPD) courses. Whether you’re a training provider or an organisation looking to enhance professional skills, CPD accreditation ensures your courses meet the highest quality standards. Here’s a detailed look at how we work with you from start to finish to accredit your CPD course.

Step 1: Centre Registration

The first step in accrediting your CPD course is becoming an accredited training centre. This process begins with an online registration form, where we collect key details about your organisation, including your facilities, staff qualifications, and commitment to providing structured learning.

During this stage, we will assess whether your organisation has the appropriate setup, including:

• Adequate training facilities
• Suitable equipment
• Safe learning environments in compliance with industry standards

Once your organisation meets our criteria, you’ll receive Centre Approval, allowing you to progress to the next step in the accreditation process.

Step 2: CPD Course Approval

Once your centre is registered, you can submit your course materials for approval. This involves a detailed review of your curriculum, learning resources, and teaching methods. At Advantage, we evaluate whether your course provides learners with valuable knowledge and skills relevant to their profession. We look for:

• Clear learning objectives
• Structured course content
• High-quality resources (presentations, worksheets, etc.)
• Well-designed materials free of errors
• Engaging and effective teaching methods

Our Curriculum Support Team will guide you through any necessary revisions to align your course with the relevant national standards and industry regulations.

Step 3: Trainer Approval

Your trainers are the backbone of your CPD course, so ensuring they have the right expertise is crucial. We require trainers to have sufficient knowledge in their subject area, as well as appropriate teaching qualifications.

During this step, we will review:

• Trainer qualifications and subject knowledge
• Previous teaching and professional experience
• Ability to engage and assess learners effectively

Our team will provide constructive feedback if any gaps in qualifications or knowledge need addressing, ensuring your trainers are well-prepared to deliver CPD-accredited courses.

Step 4: Certification

After your course and trainers are approved, the final step is certification. At this point, you can begin delivering your CPD-accredited courses. Each course will be awarded CPD credits based on the amount of time spent on active learning—typically, one hour of learning equals one CPD credit.

You will also receive dual-branded certificates, which feature both your organisation’s logo and the Advantage Accreditation kitemark. These certificates signify that your training adheres to our high standards, providing learners with credible, verifiable proof of their professional development.

Once your course is accredited, you can proudly display the CPD kitemark on all marketing materials, training resources, and certificates. This stamp of approval boosts your credibility and sets you apart from competitors, demonstrating that your training meets robust, externally verified standards.

You’ll also be listed in our Accredited Centres directory, making it easier for professionals to find and enrol in your courses. The CPD kitemark adds value, showing that your training contributes to ongoing professional growth and career advancement.

Step 5: Ongoing Support

We don’t just leave you once you’re accredited. Our team offers continuous support to ensure your training remains relevant and high-quality. You’ll have access to our online portal where you can:

• Manage courses and schedules
• Track learners’ progress
• Issue certificates
• Monitor performance metrics

We also provide account management services to assist with any questions or updates needed along the way.

Gaining CPD accreditation through Advantage Accreditation is a rewarding and thorough process that ensures your training delivers exceptional value to learners. By aligning your courses with industry standards, you boost your credibility and offer a structured pathway for professional growth.

If you’re ready to get started, contact us today! We’ll guide you through every step, from centre registration to delivering CPD-accredited training.

This Saturday, September 21st, marks World Alzheimer’s Day, a vital part of World Alzheimer’s Month, dedicated to raising awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. With more than 55 million people worldwide affected by dementia, we must continue to challenge the stigma and ensure that those providing care have access to the most up-to-date knowledge and training.

At Advantage Accreditation, we are proud to support this important day and encourage everyone to get involved. Whether it’s participating in awareness events, sharing stories of how dementia has affected loved ones, or simply educating yourself about the disease, every action contributes to a greater understanding and more inclusive care.

Why World Alzheimer’s Day Matters

Dementia is not a normal part of ageing. Early diagnosis and well-informed care can make a significant difference in the quality of life for people living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. This year’s theme, “Time to Act on Dementia”, focuses on the need for more awareness, better care, and reducing the stigma that still surrounds dementia.

Delivering High-Quality Dementia Care

Providing the best possible care for people with dementia starts with education. Advantage Accreditation offers high-quality, accredited training materials designed to ensure that those caring for individuals with dementia are equipped with the latest knowledge and best practices. Our materials are developed in line with the most recent research, so care staff can deliver compassionate, informed care that makes a difference.

Providing Dementia Training

If you are a training provider or an organisation looking to enhance your dementia care, we encourage you to explore accreditation. Becoming an accredited training centre means you’ll have access to resources that ensure your learners are well-prepared to provide top-tier care based on current best practices.

Our courses cover essential topics such as:

• Legislation and standards
• Types of dementia
• Risk factors and diagnosis
• Signs and symptoms
• Medications
• Person-centred approaches
• Therapeutic activities
• Communication

Get Involved

World Alzheimer’s Day is an opportunity to unite in the fight against dementia. Whether you work in health and social care or simply want to support the cause, now is the time to act. 

If you’re interested in becoming a training centre, contact us today to learn how you can start delivering our accredited dementia training courses and make a positive impact on the lives of those living with dementia.

Together, we can make sure that people affected by dementia receive the best care, guided by the latest research and expert knowledge.

For more information or to become a certified training provider, get in touch with us.

In public health, prevention often holds greater significance than treatment itself. As the saying goes, “prevention is better than cure”. Translating this principle into everyday practice has its challenges.

Many individuals live with preventable conditions. Premature deaths from avoidable causes are still prevalent. We need a proactive approach to health and wellness.

Social care plays a critical role in prevention. Through regular interaction with individuals and families, staff can encourage healthier lifestyles.

Introducing the New eLearning Resource 

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), in collaboration with the Royal Society of Public Health, have developed a new eLearning resource. This empowers care providers to prioritise prevention. The eLearning offers practical guidance to staff at adult social care settings.

What’s Inside the eLearning Resource?  

The new resource covers key areas crucial to a prevention-focused approach:

Infection Prevention and Control: Strategies to minimise the spread of infections.

Mental Health and Wellbeing: Techniques to support mental health and emotional resilience.

Healthy Ageing: Advice on promoting healthy ageing practices among residents.

It also addresses the health and well-being of colleagues.

The developers received positive feedback from social care professionals who trialled the resource. Many recommend the eLearning to their peers.

Access the Resource 

The eLearning is free and user-friendly. Staff can even select the topics most relevant to their role.

Click here to access the eLearning.

We’re happy to spread the word about this fantastic resource. We encourage you to share it too!

Thank you to all care professionals for your incredible work. Your dedication supports individuals to live healthier, longer lives. 

If you are interested in becoming an accredited training centre with Advantage Accreditation, please get in touch.

At Advantage Accreditation, our Curriculum Team is committed to maintaining the accuracy and relevance of our training materials. This is especially critical in the health and social care sector, where advancements in science and procedures continually reshape best practices.

We are pleased to announce that our Level 2 Award in Dementia course has been updated to incorporate new information about the Alzheimer’s drug Lecanemab, which has recently received approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for use in the UK. Lecanemab is a groundbreaking, disease-modifying treatment shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by 27% in patients with mild symptoms. This represents a significant advancement in dementia care, offering new hope for those affected by the condition.

However, despite the MHRA’s approval, Lecanemab will not be available through the National Health Service (NHS). The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has determined that the drug’s high cost, alongside the extensive resources required for its administration—such as fortnightly hospital infusions and intensive patient monitoring—makes it unsuitable for public funding. Consequently, Lecanemab will only be accessible via private healthcare providers in the UK.

To ensure our accredited centres and learners remain well-informed, we have revised our dementia awareness course materials to include these key updates. The revised content addresses both Lecanemab’s efficacy in slowing Alzheimer’s progression and the current limitations on its availability within the NHS.

These updates reflect our ongoing commitment to equipping learners with the most current and accurate information on Alzheimer’s treatment and care.

For further information about becoming an accredited training centre or to learn more about our updated course materials, please contact us.