As the policies and regulations in the Aged Care Sector evolve and change, your employees need to keep pace with these new developments.  Most facilities in this sector are faced with staffing shortages and the projected outlook is that the skills shortage is going to last for some time. 

Evaluating whether you need to train your work force or not, this is the first step to rectifying the situation of skilled staff. Once you have identified the gaps in the skill sets of your employees and those skills they currently have, you will be in a better position to decide what type of training is needed and who in your organisation is in need of training.  From this you should also be able to identify the best strategy for sharing those skills sets and knowledge with other staff.

Changes to funding regimes and government regulations are a strong indicator of a training need.  The recent introduction of a minimum qualification for entry level staff also indicates that staff that are not adequately skilled. This demonstrates a training gap that can be addressed with quality training.

Next assess your business and the changes that have occurred recently, such as new equipment being introduced.  A change to your facilities procedures that now impacts on a staff members lack of skills or has highlighted a deficit that was not apparent previously.  Feedback from residents and families in regards to the standard of care being provided is another area that you can receive information in regards to any skills gaps in your facility.

Many senior managers are aware of the expected growth in the aged care sector with the ageing population and already the sector is experiencing difficulties in attracting qualified nursing staff at Division I and Division II levels.  This also extends to personal care staff - as service providers do you look forward enough to ensure you have sufficient staff moving forward?  This will entail the facility to adapt a strategic approach to development of their staff.  While you may not be able to factor in to the operating budget money to pay for a staff member to train in Division II nursing you may over a period of time be able to generate a budget through other programs such as the traineeship scheme.  By taking on trainees each year you could utilise the surplus of the training grant to fund a system where you pay half the fees for a staff member to study in Certificate IV Health (Nursing).  The government has promised to up the number of training places in coming years this will not fully address the need that exists within the aged care and health sectors. As a provider you need to be proactive in addressing your staffing issues in a joint manner utilising any funding that is available to you appropriately and wisely.

A large problem for Aged Care is retaining trained staff already working in the sector. Provision of ongoing training, while not only mandatory, is another way to entice staff to stay.  Looking at opportunities for staff to accredit their training to another qualification over time, or by providing opportunities to develop skill sets through the delivery of training on the behalf of the facility, can also be an incentive for some. 

Training is a large expense for facilities, so developing a partnership with ACCV as your Registered Training Organisation, can offer you support in granting the competencies at a competitive rate incorporating the opportunity for a staff member to deliver training is another alternative.

Lastly you must priorities your training needs so that they are achievable for the staff involved and importantly so that they can be achieved within your operational budget.