The UK’s health and social care sector has welcomed the recent launch of an innovative new online concept delivered by eCompetency.
With leading industry professionals at the helm, the business tool offers a digital platform that enables employers to easily and efficiently test and monitor staff competencies in line with industry standard regulations with an all-online, simulation-style experience.
The firm has developed the state-of-the-art software to include a range of core mandatory modules that cover key competencies such as Moving & Handling, Safeguarding Adults and Fire Safety, with more planned for release in the coming months.
Director of eCompetency Paul Blane said: “Having worked in the health and social care sector for 26 years, myself and my business partners identified a real issue in the way that care homes would test their staff on core workplace competencies in line with strict industry requirements. This process can often be expensive and cumbersome, with many establishments still relying on traditional face-to-face methods to ensure staff knowledge is up to standard in each specific topic, but our innovative new platform eliminates these issues and presents a slick, modern solution.
“After months of testing and collating feedback, we are thrilled to bring eCompetency to the market and have already received an exceptionally high-level of demand from care homes across the county who are as excited as we are to enjoy the benefits that this software can bring to the working environment.”
The system enables users to access a remote portal, which is available on all platforms including smart devices, where they will be presented with a series of hazards in a game-like scenario that promises to improve engagement. Users are required to identify potential hazards within a realistic timeframe based on knowledge acquired from prior training with the aim of identifying where additional learning may be required. Upon completion of a module, eCompetency will award and log pass certificates or recommend further action to ensure that essential skills can be obtained either through eLearning, face to face methods or coaching.
Paul added: “We worked tirelessly to create something that was both user friendly and effective and we have achieved just that with the final product. The tool was influenced by online gaming and has an interactive element that has been purposely designed to increase engagement and present a digital situation that reflects real-life scenarios that social care workers face on a regular and even daily basis.
“We’ve teamed up with some of the industry’s leading eLearning providers to complement their offering and allow their customers to test learning on a regular basis using a competitive pay as you go model that’s convenient for each individual company. Should a member of staff fail a module, we will recommend a course of action that involves further training to ensure that health and social care workers meet the high standards of competency required for the role. In the current climate, care homes can spend thousands of pounds in training, which may not necessarily be required. With eCompetency, we’re giving care home directors and managers the ability to both highlight areas of concern within their work force and recognise that some staff are fully up to date in their training with no need to redo traditional training courses.
“As well as being accessible through our eLearning partners, our system also operates on a stand-alone platform that enables the customer to access important documentation and pass certificates around the clock. We are excited to see the software in action up and down the country and are already working towards the launch of new modules in the coming months.”
For more information about eCompetency visit www.ecompetency.co.uk
