Infection Prevention and Control Knowledge Set

The following excerpts are taken from the Skills for Care Knowledge Set.

‘Knowledge sets’ have been created by Skills for Care to help employers, staff and trainers to be clear about what underpinning knowledge is necessary in social care.

The ‘learning outcomes’ you gain from working through a knowledge set with your employer or trainer will be a contribution towards your NVQ

Working through the knowledge sets will…… be part of your ‘continuing professional development’

Understanding Knowledge Sets

Employers and trainers can use the knowledge sets to ‘customise’ the learning of a particular learner or a particular service provision.

The learning outcomes are intended as a minimum. Further outcomes should be added to meet needs specific to workplaces and to people who use services.

Why were knowledge sets commissioned?

The concept of knowledge sets came from a need to help employers understand the amount and complexity of underpinning knowledge required to deliver a ‘gold star service’ to people who use services and to their carers, e.g. families and friends.

In addition to the Skills for Care Common Induction Standards and the Health and Social Care national occupational standards, the knowledge sets provide a consistent guide to the underpinning knowledge required to assist employers to ensure that workers in a range of work settings have sufficient knowledge and understanding to meet the needs of people who use services and of carers.

How and when might knowledge sets be used?

Knowledge sets are designed to be used separately or alongside the Common Induction Standards and as part of a worker’s continuing professional development. Their aim is to provide specific standardised knowledge and understanding to help social care workers undertake their role.

The knowledge sets have been mapped to:

• Common Induction Standards

• Health and Social Care NOS at levels 2, 3 and 4

• General Social Care Council (GSCC) Code of Practice for social care workers.

CIS Assessment has developed an assessment, based on its successful online platform and linked to the Skills for Care Knowledge Set to support organisations to evidence workers knowledge, measure the effectiveness of training and ensure that workers are competent.

The assessments cover:

• • Cause and spread of infection
  • Preventing and controlling the spread of infection
  • Legislation relevant to infection prevention and control
  • Roles, responsibilities and boundaries

Designed to support existing training and development programs whether taught, e-learning or both the assessments enable care manager’s and service managers to check that the money invested in training has achieved its purpose – to improve or add to a carer’s knowledge so they can apply the knowledge in their day to day role.