A round-up of our most read care blogs in 2022

2022 was another tumultuous year for the care sector. The impact of cost of living and energy crises placed deepening pressures on both care providers and individual carers. Meanwhile, the recruitment and retention of care givers continued to be a huge issue; data from Skills for Care’s workforce report showed a 52% increase in the number of vacant posts in adult social care in the last year. Vacancies are now at the highest rate since records began in 2012/13. And in addition, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) announced significant changes to the way that it inspects and regulates care.

Understandably, care providers had a lot on their minds this year, which we saw reflected in the articles being read on our blog. Here’s our round-up of care sector top reads for 2022.

1. Why is it important to value your employees?

With retention of care workers a major issue for the care sector, focus shifted this year onto ways to improve job satisfaction, in particular through looking after people’s wellbeing. It comes as no surprise then that our most read article in 2022 was about the importance of valuing your employees – which included practical tips on how to do this in a genuine, meaningful way.

2. eMAR FAQs

2022 was the year that the UK government announced a digitisation target in care for the first time. The current government drive is for 80% of social care providers to have a digital social care record that can interoperate with a local Shared Care Record by March 2024. Typically, one of the first steps towards true digitisation in home care organisations is switching to eMAR (an electronic medication administration record), so our eMAR FAQs continued to be popular.

3. Culturally appropriate care

It was in May 2021 that the CQC first published guidance about giving consistent culturally-appropriate care to all people using care services. It describes care that is sensitive to people’s cultural identity or heritage, and the beliefs and conventions that can come with that. Read more about culturally appropriate care.

4. In the spotlight: Why is home care employee turnover so high?

Our in-depth look into the factors behind low retention rates amongst care workers racked up the reads again this year. Investigating both the problems underlying turnover and some solutions that care providers can put into place, this is a good read with a coffee in hand. Read ‘In the spotlight: Why is home care employee turnover so high?’

5. The key strengths of a lone worker

Classed as those that work alone outside of normal business hours, those that work from home, or those that visit other people’s homes, lone workers are commonplace in the care sector. This article explores the key strengths a lone worker needs to succeed.

6. Using technology to meet the CQC’s 5 key questions

Updated for a second time in 2022, our guide to technology’s role in evidencing and delivering Outstanding home care was one of this year’s must reads. Including information about the the CQC’s new quality statements – which will replace the Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs) – you can view our CQC hub here, which includes grabbing a copy of our free CQC and technology booklet.

7. Electronic care plans

Unsurprisingly, given the government’s push towards a digital care record, our article breaking down the whats and hows of electronic care plans was one of the top ten reads this year.

8. 6 ways home care professionals can combat stress

A recent survey by Mind revealed that almost nine out of ten (88%) primary care workers find their work-life stressful, significantly higher than the wider UK workforce (56%). Stress is a big problem in care and this article offers 6 ways home care professionals can to try to tackle it.

9. How can technology help answer the CQC’s key lines of enquiry (KLOES)?

Continuing with the CQC theme, the regulatory changes announced by the CQC this year meant substantial interest in how technology can be used to meet their key lines of enquiry, alongside the quality statements that will replace them.

10. Remote inspections

And finally, news arrived in early 2022 that the CQC was now carrying out remote inspections as standard with domiciliary care companies and extra care housing services. Here’s our remote inspections guide.