To ask the Minister of Health what plans exist for upskilling the domiciliary care workforce to provide early identification of medical issues and thus potentially limit hospital stays.

Domiciliary care workers receive both general and client-specific training as appropriate. This can include areas such as first aid, infection control, end of life care, manual handling, oral hygiene, dysphagia, dementia awareness, catheter care and medicine management.

Where a domiciliary care worker becomes concerned about the well-being of a client, they will raise these concerns with their line manager in the first instance and GP/District Nurse depending on urgency.

It is important to recognise the essential role of the social care workforce and family carers. As part of the Reform of Adult Social Care proposals are being developed to bring about change and provide additional support by improving workforce pay, training and career pathways and to ensure we recognise and support carers. The Department is also working with the NI Social Care Council to develop a training and career pathway for domiciliary care workers that will provide role specific training and recognised qualifications.

Work on the Reform of Adult Social Care is at an advanced stage and it is anticipated a public consultation will be launched before the end of the year. The public consultation will be essential to inform strategic plans going forward.