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Care Focus Somerset Ltd is a non-profit company limited by guarantee. Registered in England No. 05664850. Suite 4, The Courtyard, Higher, Comeytrowe Farm, Comeytrowe, Taunton, Somerset, TA4 1EQ.
Useful Links
for health & social care
Care Homes Checklist - part of the 'Which?' report May 2011
Whistleblowing - CQC Quick Guide
Norovirus Outbreak Kit
Links below to documents for the Norovirus Outbreak Kit produced by the NHS Infection Prevention Team.
Care Home Restrictions Poster (can be photocopied and should then be laminated)
Top Tips for Visitors and Residents
Letter from Infection Prevention Team and Health Protection Team
Apprenticeships
The National Apprenticeship Service
BBC: Health and Social care.
www.bbc.co.uk/keyskills/apps/care/app_index.shtml
BBC: Skillwise
Skillswise is a FREE website developed by the BBC to help with English and maths. It contains factsheets, worksheets, quizzes and games to help improve skills.
Careers Advice
If you're between 13 and 19.
www.connexions-somerset.org.uk
If you're over 19.
Care Careers
Information on Social Care Careers in the South West
www.carecareers-southwest.info
Care Homes in Somerset
Information about moving into a care home in Somerset.
www.carehomesinsomerset.org.uk
Care Quality Commission
The Care Quality Commission is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. Our aim is to make sure better care is provided for everyone, whether that’s in hospital, in care homes, in people’s own homes, or elsewhere.
www.cqc.org.uk
Common Core Principles for Self Care
The purpose of the principles is to enable organisations and all those who work in health and social care, whether as commissioners, service provider or educators to make personalised services a reality.
http://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/selfcare/
Counselling Directory
Search for a counsellor or psychotherapist near you
www.counselling-directory.org.uk
CQC documents
Judgement Framework March 2010
Essential Standards of Quality & Safety March 2010
Summary of regulations, outcomes and judgement framework
Dementia Somerset
National Institute for Health & Clinical Excellence (NICE)
Department of Health
The Government Department responsible for social work and social care matters.
www.dh.gov.uk
Early Years Working
with pre-school children, eg. childminding or in a nursery.
www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/learning/earlyyears
End of Life Care
Developed as part of the Marie Curie Delivering Choice Programme, this website provides further information regarding the range of services that are available to end of life care patients and how these may be accessed, together with practical advice and information regarding the support available to those who are caring for someone with a terminal illness.
www.nssomersetendoflifecare.nhs.uk
Fostering and Adoption
Information on Somerset based fostering and adoption.
www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/socialservices/childrenandfamilies
General Social Care Council
The regulatory body for the social care workforce in England.
www.gscc.org.uk
Investors in People
Investors in People provide straightforward, proven frameworks for delivering business improvement through people.
Your IT now
A small company which supports service users with a learning disability, to help them learn about computers and access the internet.
Learn Direct
Learndirect operates a network of more than 800 online learning centres in England and Wales, providing access to a range of e-learning opportunities. learndirect's flexible learning is available to individual adults wanting to improve existing skills or to learn new ones, and to employers looking for an innovative way to develop the skills of their workforce.
www.learndirect.co.uk
Next Step
nextstep offers practical help and advice on learning and work to adults aged 20 and over, whether you are in work or unemployed.
www.nextstep-cds.org.uk
NVQ's and National Occupational Standards
Skills for Care is the employer led authority on the training standards and development needs of nearly one million social care staff in England providing over £25 million in funding to support improved training and qualifications for managers and staff.
Nursing and Health Care
The National Health Service offers a huge range of exciting and challenging opportunities for people who are passionate about making a difference. With more than 300 different careers on offer, there is a job for you no matter what your interests, skills or qualifications.
Open University
The Open University provides some substantial and free online learning.
www.open.ac.uk/openlearn/get-started-learner/get-started-learner.php?#2
SCILS - Social Care Information and Learning Service
Scils provides a wide range of learning and development solutions for staff throughout social care, health and children/young people's services.
FREE access for SOMERSET social care providers.
Contact Care Focus Somerset for your username and password.
www.scils.co.uk
Skills for Care
Work with social care employers and training providers both regionally and nationally to establish the necessary standards and qualifications that equip social care workers with the skills needed to deliver an improved standard of care.
Social Care Code of Practice for International Recruitment
The IR Code provides guidance for employers about arrangements for recruitment, induction and training and support for those joining the social care workforce from overseas.
Social Care Online
Social Care Online is an extensive free database of social care information. It includes everything from research briefings, to reports, government documents, journal articles, and websites. Updated daily by SCIE's experienced information managers, Social Care Online offers free access and ease of use.
Somerset County Council
Statutorily responsible for arranging social care either through providing services in-house or purchasing from the private sector. A major funding partner of Care Focus.
Help with taking your medicines - your questions answered
Social Care Institute for Excellence
SCIE identifies and disseminates the knowledge base for good practice in all aspects of social care throughout the UK, which includes access to FREE e-learning materials on a range of topics, including mental health and older people, communication skills.
Social Work Training (including financial support and bursaries)
www.gscc.org.uk www.socialworkcareers.co.uk
Social Work Training - Where to Study
www.gscc.org.uk/Training+and+learning/Become+a+social+worker/Where+to+study
Social Work Jobs in Somerset
www.communitycare.co.uk and www.somerset.gov.uk
South West Dementia Partnership
www.southwestdementiapartnership.org.uk
The Basic Skills Agency
The Basic Skills Agency at NIACE is committed to finding, developing and disseminating good practice in literacy, language and numeracy.
Volunteering
www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/socialservices/volunteers
End of Life Care - Somerset & North Somerset
A Somerset Primary Care Trust website
www.nssomersetendoflifecare.nhs.uk/
E-mail your links for inclusion into our website: enquiries@carefocussomerset.org