Level 4 Lead Practitioner in Adult Care

Overview of the role

Managing teams of frontline carers to look after vulnerable adults with care needs.

The Lead Practitioner in Adult Care will guide and inspire team members to make positive differences to someone's life when they are faced with physical, practical, social, emotional, psychological or intellectual challenges. They will have achieved a level of self-development to be recognised as a lead practitioner within the care team, contributing to, promoting and sustaining a values-based culture at an operational level.

A Lead Practitioner has a greater depth of knowledge and expertise of particular conditions being experienced by the user of services. They will have specialist skills and knowledge in their area of responsibilities which will allow them to lead in areas such as care needs assessment, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, rehabilitation and enablement, telecare and assistive technology. They will be a coach and mentor to others and will have a role in assessing performance and quality of care delivery.

Lead Practitioners in Adult Care may work in residential or nursing homes, domiciliary care, day centres, a person's own home or some clinical healthcare settings. As well as covering Lead Practitioners in Adult Care this standard also covers Lead Personal Assistants who can work at this senior level, but they may only work directly for one individual who needs support and/or care services, usually within their own home.

Personal attributes and behaviours expected of all Leaders in Adult Care

• Care - is caring consistently and enough about individuals to make a positive difference to their lives
• Compassion - is delivering care and support with kindness, consideration, dignity, empathy and respect
• Courage - is doing the right thing for people and speaking up if the individual they support is at risk
• Communication - good communication is central to successful caring relationships and effective team working
• Competence - is applying knowledge and skills to provide high quality care and support
• Commitment - to improving the experience of people who need care and support ensuring it is person centred

Who the course is for

This course is for managers or aspiring managers working in Durham County Council commissioned service.

Learning method

This Level 4 course is delivered face to face one day per month in a college setting with work-based assessments.  It typically takes 18 months to complete.

What you will learn

By completing this course, you will achieve a Level 4 Lead Practitioner in Adult Care qualification.  You will learn what knowledge a Lead Practitioner in Adult Care

Course content

Tasks and responsibilities  

• Statutory frameworks, standards, guidance and Codes of Practice which underpin practice in relation to the safe delivery of services
• Theories underpinning own practice and competence relevant to the job role
• Principles of assessment and outcome based practice
• Principles of risk management

Dignity and human rights

• How to contribute to, promote and maintain a culture which ensures dignity is at the centre of practice

Communication

• Effective communication and solutions to overcoming barriers
• Legal and ethical frameworks in relation to confidentiality and sharing information
• Range of technologies to enhance communication

Safeguarding

• Legislation, national and local solutions for the safeguarding of adults and children including reporting requirements

Health and wellbeing

• Models of monitoring, reporting and responding to changes in health and wellbeing
• Range of holistic solutions to promote and maintain health and wellbeing using person centred approaches
• Importance of effective partnerships, inter-agency, joint and integrated working

Professional development

• Goals and aspirations that support own professional development and how to access available opportunities

By completing this course, you will learn what a Lead Practitioner  in Adult Care must be able to do:

Tasks and responsibilities

• Apply professional judgement, standards and codes of practice relevant to the role
• Develop and sustain professional relationships with others
• Identify and access specialist help required to carry out role
• Lead the specialist assessment of social, physical, emotional and spiritual needs of individuals with cognitive, sensory and physical impairments
• Mentor colleagues to encourage individuals to actively participate in the way their care and support is delivered
• Contribute to the implementation of processes to implement and review support plans
• Provide leadership and mentoring to others for whom they are responsible
• Apply risk management policies
• Contribute to the quality assurance of the service provided

Dignity and human rights

• Implement a culture that actively promotes dignity and respects diversity and inclusion
• Model high levels of empathy, understanding and compassion

Communication

• Model effective communication skills
• Identify and address barriers to communication using appropriate resources
• Apply organisational processes to record, maintain, store and share information
• Provide meaningful information to support people to make informed choices

Safeguarding

• Apply and support others to adhere to safeguarding procedures
• Work in partnership with external agencies to respond to safeguarding concerns

Health and wellbeing

• Apply person centred approaches to promote health and wellbeing
• Collaborate with external partners to achieve best outcomes in health and wellbeing

Professional development

• Evaluate own practice and access identified development opportunities
• Evaluate the effectiveness of own leadership, mentoring and supervision skills and take steps to enhance performance
• Value individuals to develop effective teams in order to achieve best outcomes
• Contribute to the development of an effective learning culture
• Lead robust, values-based recruitment and selection processes
• Contribute to the induction process by developing the knowledge of individuals within their role
• Lead and support others in professional development through personal development plans, supervision, reflective practice, research, evidence based practice and access to learning and development opportunities

Entry requirements

• Level 3 or above qualification in a related subject
• Minimum level 2 English and maths
• Employed permanently by a provider who is commissioned by Durham Council

Course dates and times

Programme started January 2024.

How to book

We are currently not running any future dates, should you wish to express an interest in completing for the Level 4 qualification please contact Contact County Durham Care Academy

Funded places are limited. Those who meet the criteria will be invited to undertake a formal application process.