The Tyne and Wear Care Alliance through our Employer Engagement contract with Skills for Care has been tasked with supporting our members to complete the National Minimum Data Set for Social Care.  The NMDS-SC will eventually give us a complete picture of the social care workforce, and this vital information will help to plan for future training, qualifications, funding and policies to develop the sector.

The NMDS-SC will ensure that every scrap of workforce information that is given by employers up and down the country is analysed -- so that for the first time there will be an accurate and up to date picture online of social care across the country.  This data will help influence and determine the future funding, training and resource allocation for the whole social care sector.

It is estimated there are 1.5 million workers in social care in the UK, spread across some 38,000 employers. At present we don’t know how many people work in social care, how well qualified and trained they are or what employers’ and workers’ needs are. 

The NMDS-SC hopes to obtain information about both your organisation and your staff. All information will be collected and held in accordance with the Data Protection Act.

On completion of NMDS-SC you will gain a range of benefits including:

• Eligibility to claim TSI Funding for Common Induction Standards, NVQ Units and Accredited Mandatory Short Courses
• Data collected will give you an overview of your whole workforce in a secure and accessible online site
• There are a number of reports available for your business that will help you make decisions on recruitment, retention, pay and development of your staff.
• Understand your workforce and improve your staff retention. See the skills gaps in your workforce and help staff develop to improve the service your business provides to secure units.
• See how your turnover and pay rates compare to other care providing establishments in your local area. Use NMDS-Sc to compare the skills of your staff with others in your local area to consider how to improve practices and retain staff.
• Plan for the future. Use the NMDS-SC to look at your current workforce and identify the future skills and competencies needed to deliver new and improved services. Use information in your personal reports to help you meet the proposed national minimum standards of achieving a qualified workforce.

To complete or update your NMDS online please click here
http://www.nmds-sc-online.org.uk/