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Worldskills UK Caring Competition Top Ten Finalists Announced

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

22 June 2011

At the National Skills Academy for Social Care it is a key aim of our role to raise the status of adult social care as a skilled career that people choose to pursue. Our WorldSkills UK Caring Competition Series is one way of achieving this aim.

The competitions are run in partnership with WorldSkills UK who run competitions across a range of different sectors. Skills competitions can boost the confidence and morale of participants leading to improved outcomes, and they can help promote a sector in an innovative, inspiring way.

The final brings together the highest scoring participants from all the heats across the country. They have already demonstrated the high standards they set for themselves, in the care that they provide; they now have the chance to showcase their excellent skills at a national level.

The finalists are:

  • Deborah Holden from Preston College
  • Hannah Greenslade from Exeter College
  • Hayley Gibbs from Southern Cross and NTQUK
  • Jayne Farrow from Preston College
  • Laura Slack from Blackpool and the Fylde College
  • Lynne Cuncliffe from Burnley College
  • Nicola Munns from The Abbeyfield Society
  • Pawanveer Kaur from Hull College
  • Susan Marsh from Guildford College of Further and Higher Education
  • Tracey Park from NTQUK

Finalist Hayley Gibbs from Southern Cross and NTQUK said: “For me to be in the final is a big thing as I put everything I have into my job and I love making other people happy. At the moment we have a few professional peoples’ relatives at Memory House and I feel honoured that they believe and trust us with their loved ones. It is a nerve-racking thing to be nominated, but also a big sense of achievement. I have all my colleagues and residents to thank for this.”

Lead judge and Skills Academy Consulting Director, Jennifer Bernard, said: “It will be so exciting to see how our ten finalists from all the regional heats perform in a national competition.  The pressure increases for them as the importance of being able to show their skills in action is even stronger.  The team of judges will be looking for their talent in providing excellent care which respects individual wishes and preferences whilst being safe and knowledgeable.  We will be running a tough but fair series of tests to cover every aspect of a care role.  People who use services would expect no less.”

The finalists will compete to win a gold, silver or bronze medal at the WorldSkills UK National Caring Competition Final in London on 15 July.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About the National Skills Academy for Social Care

  • The Skills Academy is an employer-led membership organisation focused on leadership, management, commissioning and modelling excellence in learning and training, in the adult social care sector.
  • The WorldSkills UK Caring Competitions are part of its role in raising the profile of social care.
  • The competitions have been open to applications from anyone working in, or training for, the social care sector over the age of 16, with the Skills Academy receiving applications from interested individuals from all over the country. 
  • For further information about the National Skills Academy for Social Care, visit www.nsasocialcare.co.uk  

About the Caring Competition

The scenarios and role plays used to test competitors include:

  • Activities for daily living which replicate assisting a service user with common tasks
  • Emergency situations where the participant must respond appropriately to an emergency
  • Care plan development and modification

Eligibility criteria for 2011

You can take part in the 2011 competitions if:

  • You are over the age of 16
  • You are training for work or already working in the health and social care sector with adults of any age.
  • You are working towards or already have a S/NVQ level 3 in a Health and Social Care related qualification (but you must not have a level 4 or higher qualification).

About WorldSkills UK

  • WorldSkills UK is the name for the UK’s premier set of skills competitions. These competitions are open to all ages
  • Competitions run every year in around 70 skills within five main sectors:
    • Built Environment
    • Cultural and Creative Arts
    • Engineering
    • Information Technology and Business Administration
    • Professional, Social, Public and Hospitality Services
    • In 2009, over 4,000 people registered to enter a WorldSkills UK competition
    • Outstanding WorldSkills UK national finalists may be considered for inclusion in Squad and Team UK at WorldSkills – the biggest international skills competition in the world
    • A large proportion of the International competitors that represent the UK at WorldSkills come through the WorldSkills UK competition framework
    • For more information about the competition visit http://www.worldskills.org

For more information please contact:

Amy Hanson

0203 296 0536

amy.hanson@nsasocialcare.co.uk

 0203 296 0536

amy.hanson@nsasocialcare.co.uk

The National Skills Academy for Social Care is for everyone committed to excellent adult social care in England.

It was created by social care employers to transform the quality of leadership, management, training, development, and commissioning.