Frontline health and social care staff have come together to participate in a ‘walk in my shoes’ skill sharing summit in South Lanarkshire.

Among the aims of the Core Skills Training course was to ensure newly-recruited home care workers were equipped with a range of practical skills to support them in their day-to-day roles.

The innovative programme, where experienced district nurses from NHS Lanarkshire worked with 90 South Lanarkshire Council home care workers, has also strengthened a spirit of partnership between professions as health and social care integrate.

Natalie McCormick, of NHS Lanarkshire, one of the District Nurses who led the course, explained: “This programme was practical in focus but it wasn’t about home care workers adopting the responsibilities of community-based nurses, or vice versa.

“It was about sharing knowledge and expertise, increasing empathy and understanding of each other’s jobs – virtually walking in each others’ shoes.”

Home care workers’ tasks can involve helping a person to wash, dress, get ready for bed to administering medication.

They frequently work with in partnership health colleagues, including district nurses, to deliver care packages to people in their own homes.

Natalie added: “The recent course focused on wider practical training like drug and alcohol awareness, nutrition, palliative care and infection prevention and control.

“However, we really wanted to reinforce the message home carers have a range of expertise to tap into – in many cases it’s about picking up the phone to nurses and face-to-face contact.

“But that message is two way. As nurses, home carers are very much our eyes and ears in the person’s house.”

Ann Richford, a South Lanarkshire Council home care worker who attended, said: “This course has given me that extra level of confidence that I’m part of a wider team with a greater appreciation of the different expertise always at hand.”

Partnership in action

Partnership working was a key message at the course. One example provided was the difference it could make to a service user if a home carer was to contact a district nurse at the early signs of pressure sores.

The aim of the new training was to provide the knowledge to prevent sores, however, home care workers now also have an increased awareness of what early stages look like and to contact nurses as soon as they are aware.

Integration

The course comes at a vital time as health and social care services integrate in Lanarkshire.

Harry Stevenson, Chief Officer of South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership said: “Within the H&SCP, each partner has their own specialism and we can learn from each other to find the best way to support people in our communities.

“Shared respect and understanding for each other’s roles is the linchpin of our partnership. This innovative course has embodied that spirit.”