A groundbreaking report by Quality Compliance Systems (QCS) has revealed an increased reliance on electronic systems during the pandemic.
The study, which sought to garner a real-world picture of the lives of professional carers in order to establish what they required to deliver the best care possible, revealed some interesting findings and trends.
The ‘Building a Better Workforce’ survey, which was created to identify key challenges that frontline care workers face, found that technology improved the way that care workers did their jobs. The study also revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic has driven a technological seachange, which has highlighted the need for better communication in the way care is dispensed.
As for electronic tools, the survey revealed that technologies – that made care planning, medication management, audit and risk assessement easier – were in great demand. However, it was those systems that delivered guidance and best practice – such as policy management tools – that they valued the most. Over 75 percent of people polled said they had come to rely on them and would continue to do so.
Despite a recruitment and retention crisis in the sector, 90 percent of respondents said they were “happy and satisfied” in the work they do, while nearly half of those who were interviewed stated that they had worked in the social care sector for more than a decade. What’s more, 70 percent reported that they enjoyed a good work life balance – a finding that is perhaps at odds with the national trend. Maybe this is due to working in a profession where carers are making a genuine difference to those they support each day.
The survey identified several findings, however, that care providers should not ignore. Career development was an area that it was felt could be improved for social care staff with 14 percent reporting that they felt that opportunities to further their career in social care were very limited.
Nikki Walker, QCS’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “At QCS, our number one priority is to support and empower people working in social care. To achieve this, we need to provide them with tools to deliver the best care possible to those they support regardless of the setting they work in or the challenges they face. Only by listening to the views of frontline carers and their managers, can we truly understand their ‘painpoints’ and respond to their needs. The findings from this survey and the others that follow will ensure that we can continue to make a difference in the products that we provide.”
For more information on QCS, contact our compliance advisors on 0333-405-3333 or email us at [email protected].
A series of blogposts with top tips on building a better social care workforce is also available for free.
Download here
