“What I would say to the professionals is that – you can pull me back, give me my life back and pull me into the light. And by the same token – ignorance, arrogance and couldn’t care less – you can shove me into the darkness and just cast me away. I can’t do it. I need your help to do it.”
Through our eyes, a life with dementia -Scottish Dementia Working Group
PDA in Promoting Excellence in Dementia Skilled Practice
With over 800,000 people in the United Kingdom currently suffering from Dementia – a figure predicted to rise to over a million by 2021 – the Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary and the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) have made the enhancement of existing dementia skills and knowledge for all workers in the social care field a priority. The SSSC’s Promoting Excellence in Dementia framework recognises the levels of competence and knowledge that will be required by the social care workforce – both at practitioner and management levels – to raise the overall quality of dementia care, promote better understanding, reduce inappropriate practice and reflect contemporary and future practice. The framework brings together individual social care workers – porters, cooks, practitioners, supporting staff and management – employers and education and training providers to ensure minimum standards are recognised, acknowledged and achieved at all levels.
As a social care worker do you want to:• recognise and understand what is expected in terms of knowledge skills and values at your dementia practice level? • reflect on existing practices and identify strengths and development needs? • explore opportunities for continuous professional development? As an employer in the social care field, do you want to ensure that your workforce has access to the necessary knowledge and skills to ensure dementia care standards are met? If your answer is yes, you should consider the Argyll College UHI Professional Development Award in Dementia. PDA Promoting Excellence in Dementia Skilled Practice The Professional Development Award (PDA) in Promoting Excellence in Dementia Skilled Practice at SCQF Level 7 is an SQA qualification for people working with those who have dementia, their families and carers. The qualification is designed to improve professional practice, contribute to meeting the registration requirements of the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and provide continuous professional development for employees. This qualification is made up of two HN Units: • Promoting Quality of Life through Dementia Skilled Practice • Promoting Relationships and Networks through Dementia Skilled Practice. Plus one SVQ Level 3 unit: • Support Individuals to Identify and Promote their own Health and Social Wellbeing. All studied at SCQF Level 7. For further details and an application form please contact your local centre today.
Argyll College UHI – one of the 13 colleges and research institutions that make up the University of the Highlands and Islands – offers a range of health and social care qualifications including: • • •
SVQ Level 2 and 3 Health and Social Care PDA Health and Social Care PDA Administer Medication
Contact your local centre for further details of these and our complete range of full-time, part-time and degree level courses. Arran
Tel: 01770 600 152
Oban
Tel: 01631 559 500
Cairndow
Tel: 01499 600 141
Campbeltown
Tel: 01631 559 670
Construction Skills Centre
Tel: 01631 559 830
Craignish
Tel: 01852 500 746
Dunoon
Tel: 01369 707 182
Fionnphort
Tel: 01681 700 377
Islay
Tel: 01496 810 130
Lochgilphead
Tel: 01546 600 070
Rothesay
Tel: 01700 501 000
Tiree
Tel: 01879 220 372
Tobermory
Tel: 01688 302 801
All Argyll College UHI centres are fully accessible for those students with disabilities