Case study: Developing older people's oral health training for social care staff

Rachel Fitzsimons, Clinical Lead at Health Education England, developed and implemented an innovative package of oral health training for the health and social care workforce caring for older people in the North East and North Cumbria.

NICE has recognised that many care home staff have a limited understanding of the importance of oral health. Residents can therefore receive sub-optimal oral health advice and management. This results in poor health outcomes, with an adverse impact on people’s general health and quality of life, as well as significant cost implications for the NHS and social care services to manage the consequences.

Rachel led the introduction of oral health care training for local care home staff in 2015, and its subsequent development. This training, now linked with Health Education England’s Mouth Care Matters programme, covers:

• oral health in relation to systemic health and the CQC inspection framework
• prevention and oral care, including tooth brushing, care of dentures and dry mouths
• introducing an Oral Health Needs Assessment and oral care plans
• the importance of regular dental examinations

An additional course has been developed covering dementia and oral health, and residents and families are trained directly at special events in care homes. In total, more than 2,200 people have been trained so far in care homes, and feedback has been excellent.

North Tyneside Local Authority and CCG have collaborated to implement an oral assessment tool for quality management of commissioned care services. There are plans to replicate this approach elsewhere.

The training has been highly successful in improving the understanding of good oral health by care home staff, and thereby person-centred oral health care for local care home residents. In addition to improving care, the use of resources has been enhanced through adopting a preventative approach.