Dear Colleague, 

 

You may read the article in this weeks Community Care Magazine, under the heading "majority of councils fail to spend grants on training". 

 

 

Firstly, the Learn to Care Committee would like to make it clear that Learn to Care has not been involved in this article, either in its instigation or by the provision of additional information.  The results of the funding survey are in the public domain; it can be accessed via our website and carries a ISBN reference and can, therefore, be used for research.  The author has contacted the Department of Health for their comment but has not approached any member of our committee.  We will be following this up with Community Care.

We have a number of concerns with the article.  Firstly, Learn to Care has not urged the Department of Health to conduct a review of workforce spending.  In the funding survey report we have pointed out that our members have expressed concerns about the future security of the workforce grants and that any review should be completed with the intention of looking at ways of providing increased protection to ensure that they are utilised for their intended purpose.  This is in the best interest of all our members and for the workforce in our sector as a whole.  Any such review would be carried out in consultation with all our members and would reflect the views of our association.  Any other comments made in the report are for the purpose of initiating further discussions and debate. 

 

 

We have always highlighted the importance of the annual funding survey and clearly this is now an important piece of specific research which has many strategic uses and which is recognised by many key stakeholders.  It is also the only report that can provide clear year on year comparisons, report on trends in relation to spending in our field and recognise and broadcast the many good practice examples. 

 

 

Again, I would like to reassure you that Learn to Care will always work to support the best interest of its members.

Kind Regards

Trevor Hewitt - Chair, Learn to Care

 

Page last edited: 20 February 2009