GUEST COLUMN: Why only 29% of care workers are dementia-trained

Training 2 Care founder and managing director Glenn Knight talks the state of the UK’s care training landscape, asks why only 29% of care staff have dementia training and explains how we can change that.

In a country where dementia is recognised as the biggest reason for death, now is the time to improve knowledge, empathy and inclusivity.

Skills for Care announced in 2024 that the care workforce in England is not adequately trained to support people with dementia through their journey. In fact, data shows that only 29% of the care industry has had the training that is so important to making life comfortable for people with dementia. The questions have to be asked: why? And which kind of training will make the difference?

To answer the first question - why so few staff have been trained in dementia care - we have to remind ourselves that this is an industry that is so underfunded that it forces care providers to sometimes prioritise the here and now rather than the future.

The pressure of inflation, which impacts every product we buy and every service we use, is causing huge issues for care providers’ financial capabilities. We then have to focus on government-imposed cost increases for businesses such as national insurance and the minimum wage. Without a commensurate increase in funding, the sector’s already challenging financial situation will get still worse.

Care providers are businesses, and in the present landscape they are understandably looking at short-term rather than long-term needs to ensure viability. With costs increasing, funding shrinking and never-ending recruitment challenges, it is not surprising that some training gets switched to quicker, cheaper solutions that fulfil short-term requirements.

So which training is going to make the difference?

The answer to this question is simple: any and all training.

There are so many different types of training about dementia available in the marketplace and all of these courses provide important information that staff need to absorb.

Each company will have their own opinions on which might be the correct training, depending on factors like: the ethos and needs of the business, their clients’ needs, preferences of senior staff, relationships with other organisations and, inevitably, time and costs.

Investing in the right choice of training courses at the right time is imperative for any organisation. What are the choices?

Training types

1) E-learning

2) Webinars

3) Face-to-face

4) Experiential

5) Accredited

6) Dementia Friends

This is not an exhaustive list, but your first decision should be about how you want the courses delivered. Once this decision is made, consider the many different subjects or angles that are available.

1) Awareness

2) Communication

3) Environmental

4) Dysphagia

5) UTIs

6) Agnosia

7) Lived experience

8) Delerium

Again, this is not an exhaustive list, but shows just some of the challenges faced by providers in trying to choose the right course, at the right time and for the right audience.

Care providers must first ask whether they are prepared to invest in the best training for their staff and realise that dementia training is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

Dementia is a complex subject that cannot be taught in a few hours. It has many facets, there are many pre-conceptions and it comprises many linked but diverse conditions. Having the support of people who are aware of this can be massively helpful to those living with dementia..

There are so many barriers to navigating the training landscape and ensuring that staff pursue the correct course. In the future, care providers need more possibilities to discuss training options and be guided by their chosen training provider. Working in partnership with a training provider develops a trusting relationship that reduces cost, is time-efficient and delivers the core principles of the care provider’s needs

As an owner of a training company, I strongly advocate for working with clients to ensure that their needs are met, that barriers to access are reduced and competency of staff is improved. Providing multiple unique, impactful and specific dementia courses, we help our clients to navigate the dementia training landscape to improve the lives of all.

More information

Glenn Knight is managing director of Training 2 Care, which he founded in 2010 with a vision of overhauling and improving the training landscape in the UK care sector. Since then the company has gone on to become the only UK provider of the Virtual Dementia Tour and has created its own Autism Reality Experience. Other highlights include the Dementia Interpreters Course and the Dementia Dictionary.

CONTACT

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