A new training qualification will equip care leaders with the skills to use cutting-edge technology to improve care, reduce hospital visits and help people live independently in their own homes for longer, according to health and social care secretary Wes Streeting.
Announcing the new Level 5 Digital Leadership Qualification at Unison’s 2025 National Health Care Conference last week, Mr Streeting said the training would support a shift in adult social care from analogue to digital, as part of the government’s broader ‘Plan for Change’.
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The qualification aims to enable care managers and leaders to adopt and deploy new tools such as motion sensors that detect falls, remote video telecare and artificial intelligence to automate routine tasks and support clinical decision-making.
Awarding bodies offering the qualification will have flexibility to focus on a range of technologies, including smart home systems, assistive tech, digital records and AI and robotics. The aim is to embed digital ways of working across care homes and community-based services.
Related Article: New qualification aims to help care leaders harness cutting-edge technology
Mr Streeting also outlined a series of wider measures to boost the recruitment and retention of care staff.
New roles will also be introduced – including deputy managers, registered managers and enhanced care workers – with defined responsibilities recognised across the NHS ‘in recognition of increasingly complex care requirements’.
In addition, £12m will be allocated to fund courses and qualifications for care staff, with the aim of enabling them to develop new skills, build expertise and advance in their careers.
Related Article: New qualification aims to help care leaders harness cutting-edge technology
Mr Streeting said: ‘We will harness the full potential of cutting-edge technology to transform social care, helping people to live independently in their own homes and improving the quality of care.’
