Leading figures in the social care sector, including representatives from Care England, Department of Health and Social Care and the NHS, came together at the House of Lords for the launch of the Level 2 Proportionate Single-Handed Care Qualification, developed by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and A1 Risk Solutions Ltd.

The prestigious event was hosted by RoSPA Vice President Baroness Watkins of Tavistock, who reflected on how her own background in nursing has demonstrated both the importance of greater recognition of care workers’ skills, and the need for improved pathways to developing them.
 

Baroness Watkins said:

‘Working as a nurse myself gave me firsthand experience of how care workers are the backbone of our health and social care system, delivering care, kindness and support to hundreds of thousands of people on a daily basis. Despite the increasing demand for social care, with requests for support from new clients reaching over two million in 2023-24, the vital contributions of care workers often go unrecognised.
 
The qualification not only benefits individual care workers by enhancing their skills and job satisfaction but also promotes privacy, independence, and flexibility for service users. It ensures that care is delivered effectively, safely, and with dignity, without compromising the health and wellbeing of either party. 
 
By investing in our care workers, we are investing in the future of our health and social care system.’
 
In her keynote address, RoSPA Chief Executive Rebecca Hickman explained how the new qualification builds on the charity’s commitment to ensuring the highest health and safety standards across the whole of society. 
 

Rebecca Hickman said:

 
“The Level 2 Proportionate Single-Handed Care Qualification is a new addition to RoSPA’s suite of highly respected training qualifications for the social care sector, such as our Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate and our Level 3 Award for Safer People Handling Trainers. 
 
“Developed in collaboration with key partners and supported by sector leaders, this qualification is designed to enhance the skills and knowledge of professionals, empowering them to deliver safer and more effective care. 
 
“This qualification is based on the latest evidence and best practice. By setting high standards, recognising excellence, and delivering comprehensive training, RoSPA continues to lead the agenda in making society safer for everyone.”
 
The Level 2 Proportionate Single-Handed Care qualification is the first time the principles of single-handed care has been formalised into an Ofqual regulated training programme.
 
Proportionate/single-handed care encourages a more personalised approach to supporting a person’s moving and handling requirements. This ensures the person receives the optimum amount of care and support in the correct environment. By enabling individuals to do as much for themselves as possible, proportionate/single-handed care reduces the likelihood of them becoming deconditioned and being readmitted to hospital or admitted to long-term care. This also has the benefit of freeing up capacity across the wider health and social care system.
 
Alongside training staff in areas such as risk assessment and the practical delivery of safe moving and handling, the qualification counters the misconception that it is unlawful to provide moving and handling care activities with less than two handlers. Care should not be over prescribed and should be proportionate to the needs of each person to ensure that it does not foster dependency.
 
Find out more about the Level 2 Proportionate Single-Handed Care qualification