The Care Certificate
The Care Certificate is an agreed set of 15 standards that details the knowledge, skills, and behaviours which are expected of specific job roles in health and social care sectors. The standards were developed jointly by Skills for Care, Health Education England and Skills for Health, it was set into motion in April 2015 in light of the Cavendish Review.
The Care Certificate is a national requirement to be completed by non-registered clinical staff in a health or social care setting as a part of their induction.
Staff who are qualified and possess a relevant health or social care degree are not required to complete the Care Certificate.
Even if you have been in your role for some time you should still complete the Care Certificate. It can be completed in 12 weeks. If you are considering any further clinical education, we require a completed Care Certificate first, so get started now.
Your manager should support you to complete your Care Certificate by identifying who will be your workplace mentor/assessor. We also have a designated Care Certificate lead who can offer you support too.
Your assessor signs off the standard’s Competency Log once they are satisfied you meet the required competencies which are based on their observations, professional discussions with you and the written work you have completed in your portfolio. An assessor must be at least band 3 or above, have completed the Care Certificate themselves or be competent to assess as a registered member of staff.
Your manager is the overall person who signs off your completed standards by signing each Declaration of Completion once all your standards have been completed and signed off by your assessor(s).
The Talent for Care team will send you a Certificate of Completion once they have verified your Care Certificate content and signatories. We provide continuous support in the form of 1:1s and drop-in support cafes which are held on the fourth Thursday of every month, for you and your manager.
Please click here and watch a short animation video to find out more about the Care Certificate.
The 15 standards:
1. Understand your role,
2. Your personal development,
3. Duty of care,
4. Equality and diversity,
5. Work in a person-centred way,
6. Communication,
7. Privacy and dignity,
8. Fluids and nutrition,
9. Awareness of mental health, dementia and learning disabilities,
10. Safeguarding adults,
11. Safeguarding children,
12. Basic life support,
13. Health and safety,
14. Handling information,
15. Infection prevention and control.
For existing staff at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust who wish to complete the Care Certificate qualification to update their skills or to access further qualifications, please email Care.Certificate@covwarkpt.nhs.uk