Challenges Faced By Unpaid Carers in the UK
Carers Week 2023 takes place from 5th to 11th June. Every year, this event aims to raise awareness of the challenges faced by unpaid carers across the country. In 2023, the week will once again provide an opportunity to acknowledge and support those in unpaid caring roles.
This is a vital role in our country. Without the work of unpaid carers, there would be extreme strain on our NHS. The current annual NHS budget is £159 billion, while the estimated value of care is £162 billion per year (University of Sheffield). To meet care needs without unpaid carers, the NHS would need more than double their budget.
Here are only a few challenges facing unpaid carers in 2023:
Rising Cost of Living
With the present cost of living crisis, 14% of unpaid carers are unable to pay their utility bills. 5% of unpaid carers are relying on food banks. This data comes from Carers UK, which continues to campaign for better provision for unpaid carers.
Mental Health
Many unpaid carers have extra responsibilities beyond providing care. These often include work, education, childcare and housekeeping. The majority of carers struggle to manage their stress. 70% say caring has a negative impact on their mental and physical health (Care Quality Commission, 2022).
Lack of Support
Carers often go to their local authority for support. In 2021 only 27% of carers who requested support actually received any (The Health Foundation). Without respite care, counselling and other types of support, carers’ roles grow more and more challenging.
Organisations throughout the UK will host various events to raise awareness during Carers Week 2023. Find out what you can do in this online resource.
Do you know an outstanding unpaid carer?
We invite you to celebrate the carers in your life. Send them a token of your appreciation, offer some support, or post about them on social media using #CarersWeek.
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The New Care Workforce Pathway
The UK’s adult social care sector continues to face staff shortages. In 2020/21, over 100,000 social care roles across the country were vacant (UK Parliament). The government has proposed a new Care Workforce Pathway to encourage workers to join the sector. The pathway also provides a framework for career progression for existing care staff.
The Care Workforce Pathway is part of the government’s plans to put People at the Heart of Care. The pathway is one of the first initiatives to be introduced, with more to follow between April 2023 and April 2025.
Altogether, this new pathway aims to improve the quality of care by improving the skills of care workers. With opportunities for progression, the pathway will also increase motivation and job satisfaction, and encourage more workers to join the sector.
The roles outlined in the new pathway are:
Foundation Stage
Those in the Foundation Stage are not currently working within social care but may consider this a career option. They may be completing training or volunteering.
Care & Support Practitioner
Those in this stage are in their first 12 months of work within adult social care. This could include staff who have previous experience but have been out of practice for several years. Staff will complete the Care Certificate at this stage.
Advanced Care & Support Practitioner
After completing essential training, including the Care Certificate, staff move on to this stage. Advanced care and support practitioners are competent to provide person-centred care and support. They may choose to develop more specialist experience.
Senior Care & Support Practitioner
Those in this stage hold leadership roles within the adult social care sector.
The pathway then splits into two: Registered Workforce and Registered Manager.
Registered Workforce
Staff can develop into Practice Leaders or Specialist Practitioners if they have specialist skills and expertise in a specific area of care and support.
Registered Manager
Deputy Registered Managers and Registered Managers are skilled in business and people management.
Advantage Accreditation provides a broad range of Health and Social Care training courses that can help staff progress in their careers, including:
- Level 2 Award in Role of the Care Worker and Personal Development
- Level 2 Award in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
- Level 2 Award in Safeguarding Adults
- Level 2 Award in Handling and Administration of Medications
If you would like to become an accredited training centre and deliver these courses for your staff, please contact Advantage Accreditation.
Allergy Awareness Week 2023: 24th – 30th April
This week strives to raise awareness of allergies and the difficulties faced by people with allergies. The annual event was set up by Allergy UK.
Allergies affect over 20% of the UK population (Allergy UK). One in five people has at least one allergic disorder. The number of people affected by allergies is much higher, as many parents, carers, teachers, etc. will take care of people with allergies.
As an accreditation body, we encourage the public to take every opportunity to learn. We provide a Level 2 Award in Anaphylaxis and Emergency Medication training course.
Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction. Signs can include difficulty breathing or speaking, cough, dizziness and loss of consciousness. More mild or moderate allergic reactions can involve rashes, swelling of the face, itching and nausea.
Here are some useful tips for helping someone with an allergy:
Good housekeeping: Keeping your environment clean and tidy will help protect people allergic to mould and dust mites.
Air purifiers: Running an air purifier can reduce airborne allergens.
Emergency medication: Many people with severe allergies carry emergency medication with them. This is extremely important and life-saving. The UK government recently published clarification for schools on keeping spare adrenaline auto-injectors. These can are supplied to schools without a specific prescription for a specific child. They can be vital if a child presents with anaphylaxis for the first time without a diagnosed allergy.
Call an ambulance: Always call an ambulance if someone is experiencing anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction).
Avoid food allergens: When preparing food for others, make sure you ask them whether they have any food allergies. Common food allergens include:
Provide emotional support: Many people with allergies experience anxiety. You can help reduce anxiety by creating a safe environment. You can also use anxiety management strategies, such as mindful breathing or muscle relaxation.
Allergies can take many forms, and some are rarely discussed. Here are some allergies you may not already be aware of:
Sulphites: These are preservatives sometimes present in food and drinks, including vinegar, wine, condiments, etc.
Aspirin: Often present in medicines, including ibuprofen.
Balsam of Peru: Sometimes called Myroxylon Pereirae or Peruvian Balsam, this is often used in perfumes.
If you think you may have an allergy, speak to your GP.
If you would like to become an accredited training centre and provide training on allergies, please get in touch.
AI in Health and Social Care
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform the healthcare and social care industry in many ways. Here are some examples:
Early diagnosis and treatment:
AI can be used to analyse medical images and help doctors identify potential health problems in patients at an early stage. This can lead to earlier diagnosis and more effective treatment.
Personalised medicine:
AI can help doctors and other healthcare professionals to develop personalised treatment plans for patients based on their individual health data. This can help to improve treatment outcomes and reduce the risk of adverse effects.
Remote patient monitoring:
AI can be used to monitor patients remotely, using wearable devices and other technology. This can help to improve patient outcomes and reduce the need for hospitalization.
Predictive analytics:
AI can be used to analyse large amounts of health data and predict future health trends. This can help healthcare professionals to identify high-risk patients and take preventive measures.
Medical research:
AI can be used to analyse vast amounts of medical data and identify patterns and insights that may not be apparent to human researchers. This can help to accelerate medical research and lead to new treatments and cures.
Social care:
AI can also be used in social care, for example, to help elderly or disabled people live independently. This can include using AI-powered assistants to remind people to take their medication or alerting family members if someone falls or has an accident.
Overall, AI has the potential to revolutionize healthcare and social care, improving outcomes for patients and reducing the burden on healthcare professionals.
For more information on how AI could affect your training or your care organisation, contact Advantage Accreditation. We would be very happy to answer any questions you may have.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Autism
World Autism Acceptance Week 2023
27th March – 2nd April
Every spring the National Autistic Society holds World Autism Acceptance Week to raise funds and promote acceptance of autistic people.
2023’s theme is colour. You can sign up for the virtual Spectrum Colour Challenge now. The National Autistic Society offers a range of ideas for fundraising on its website.
We stand with the National Autistic Society and its goals to increase understanding and inclusion of autistic people. As specialists in education, we have provided free guidance for the general public. Here are some frequently asked questions:
What is autism?
Autism Spectrum Disorder is a disability that affects how a person communicates with and relates to the world around them. It is a spectrum disorder, meaning people can experience autism in different ways.
What communication challenges do autistic people face?
Autistic people can have difficulty understanding facial expressions, tone of voice and social context. They may struggle to understand the emotions of others.
How can you tell someone is autistic?
Here are some behaviours that are common in autistic people. However, it is important to remember that not everyone with autism demonstrates these behaviours, and not everyone who demonstrates these behaviours has autism.
- Repetition
- Inflexibility
- Special interests
- Sensory sensitivity
- Anxiety
- Dyspraxia
Autism is diagnosed by a team of specialists who conduct an assessment. It is not your responsibility to diagnose autism in yourself or others. If you want to know whether you or your child has autism, speak to your GP.
What is sensory sensitivity?
Sometimes a certain sight, sound, touch, taste or smell can be overwhelming. This is true for everyone and is not exclusive to autistic people, but it is more common in autistic people.
My friend/family member/colleague is autistic. What can I do to help them?
As people experience autism on a spectrum, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. All people, including autistic people, should be treated with respect, understanding and acceptance. In general, you can help the autistic people in your life by communicating clearly, accepting any behaviours that might seem strange to you, and not creating overwhelming sensory stimuli.
The advice above is intended for the general public. Our accredited training centres offer training for those who provide care for autistic people:
- Level 2 Award in Autism Spectrum
- Level 2 Award in Learning Disability & Autism
If you would like to become an accredited training centre and deliver this training, please get in touch with Advantage Accreditation.
How to Help Someone Having a Seizure
Monday 13th February 2023 is International Epilepsy Day. This is an annual event which aims to raise awareness of epilepsy and its impact. The event is organised by the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE).
This year, International Epilepsy Day will focus on the stigma associated with epilepsy. Several free Epilepsy Facts and Myths resources are available to help spread awareness.
As an accreditation body specialising in health and social care, we want to take this opportunity to educate the public. Please note this article seeks to provide a general awareness of epilepsy. This is not official guidance for health and social care professionals.
First, let’s explain what epilepsy means.
Epilepsy is a disease of the brain that results in abnormal electrical activity in the brain. People with epilepsy tend to experience recurrent seizures.
There are several known causes of epilepsy:
- Stroke
- Brain infection, e.g. meningitis
- Head injury
- Complications during birth
- Brain tumours
- Brain malformations
- Brain development problems
- Genetics (potentially, the link between genetics and epilepsy is currently being researched)
How to recognise a seizure
Seizures can be categorised as motor or non-motor. Motor seizures include:
Tonic-clonic
This is what most people would think of when they hear the word “seizure”. These take place in phases:
- Prodromal: tiredness, weakness, potential aura (certain smell or image)
- Tonic: rigid muscles, fall to the ground, abnormal breathing, blue lips
- Clonic: jerking movements, biting tongue or cheeks, potential dribble or incontinence
- Postictal: exhaustion lasting from minutes to hours, potential myoclonic
Myoclonic
These are brief seizures that often occur in the recovery phase of other seizures. Jerking of limbs or part of a limb takes place.
Tonic
These often occur without warning. Muscles become rigid and the breath is held for a short time.
Atonic
These are brief seizures causing floppy muscles and potential falls.
Non-motor seizures include:
Typical absence
More common in children, this type of seizure can easily be mistaken for daydreaming. The person becomes unaware of what is happening around them. They may nod, stare blankly, or flutter their eyelids. These seizures last a few seconds.
Atypical absence
The person’s muscles become limp or floppy during these seizures. Atypical absences last longer than typical absences. These occur at any age and are common in people with other conditions affecting the brain.
How to help someone who is having a motor seizure
If you see a friend, family member, colleague, or a member of the public showing signs of a motor seizure, here is what to do:
Register your defibrillator on The Circuit now
The Circuit, the UK’s national defibrillator network, maps public access defibrillators. This map is used by 999 call handlers to help callers locate their nearest defibrillator. Alongside the Resuscitation Council UK (RCUK), British Heart Foundation (BHF), St John Ambulance and the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE), we encourage you to register any defibrillation devices you have with The Circuit. Click here to register.
The UK sees over 30,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of hospital every year. Only 3,000 of these people survive. Defibrillators are used in less than 10% of cardiac arrest cases outside of hospital. As immediate CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chance of survival, use of defibrillators could save an extra 3,000 lives per year.
Thanks to The Circuit, 50,000 devices are now registered. All 14 UK ambulance services are using The Circuit and can direct 999 callers to their nearest public access defibrillator using this map. However, this is only half of the estimated 100,000 defibrillators in the UK.
If you have a defibrillator available to the public, register it here.
Advantage Accreditation aims to keep up to date with important news within Health and Social Care and First Aid among many other topics. If you have any questions, please get in touch with our team.
Health and Safety at Work Statistics 2022
Every year, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducts a health and safety at work survey for Great Britain. Here are the results for 2022:
While the number of new work-related ill-health cases has decreased, the number of work-related stress, depression and anxiety cases has increased between 2021 and 2022. Stress, depression and anxiety account for 51% of work-related ill-health cases, while musculoskeletal disorders account for 27%. 55% of working days lost were due to work-related stress, depression or anxiety. The overall rate of self-reported work-related ill-health and the total number of working days lost are both higher than pre-pandemic rates.
Non-fatal injuries have also increased between 2021 and 2022. However, this figure decreased between 2020 and 2021, likely due to the number of people not in work or working remotely. This year’s increase can be explained by workers returning to the workplace.
The HSE reports the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is a major factor contributing to the increased rates of stress, depression and anxiety. However, this is only a contributing factor and not the only cause of the stress, depression and anxiety experienced.
These statistics show a need for employers to address stress, depression and anxiety. This is important in helping individual members of staff in order to benefit their health and, in turn, their performance at work. Addressing these concerns will also reduce the number of working days lost, helping the business financially. We provide learning materials for our approved training centres on:
- Managing Personal Stress
- Managing Stress in the Workplace
Lung diseases continue to account for the majority of deaths resulting from work, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer and non-asbestos related lung cancer. It is absolutely essential that business meet requirements for health and safety, including reducing levels of dust and harmful substances. We provide learning materials for our approved training centres on:
- Managing and Supervising Safely
- Handling Hazardous Substances (COSHH)
Musculoskeletal disorders are the second most prevalent work-related causes of ill-health. 41% of cases affect the back, while 37% affect the upper limbs and neck, and 21% affect the lower limbs. All workers should be informed on the best working practices to prevent injury in the workplace. We provide learning materials for our approved training centres on:
- Assessing Competency in Moving and Assisting
We offer accredited training materials in a range of health and safety topics. These are available to our approved training centres. Find out more here: Advantage Accredited Learning Materials.
