Delegates attending Edexcel's health and social care conference

'Meeting the Challenge' featured keynotes from top speakers including, Niall Dickson, Chief Executive, King’s Fund; Andrea Rowe, Chief Executive, Skills for Care; and Chris Pearson, Director of Development, Skills for Health.

Jim Dobson, Head of Qualifications Development, Edexcel, said: “We are committed to providing high quality qualifications to support the health and social care sector, which is undergoing a period of change.  Our portfolio of qualifications, including many flexible, work-based courses, aims to both attract new students to the sector and offer development opportunities for professionals already in the sector.”

Delegates from across the health and education sectors – Hospitals, Primary Care Trusts, City Councils, training providers, colleges – discussed the challenges with recruitment, retention and achievement; issues around training and qualifying the health and social care workforce; existing and customised qualifications; and funding opportunities.

A series of practical workshops looked at topics such as work-based learning – how vocational qualifications have a key role to play; supporting trainers, teachers and tutors – building partnerships and breaking down barriers of education training in the workplace; and embedding ‘Skills for Life’ – how such qualifications can help improve both retention and achievement rates.