Skills for Care Publishes New Guidance on Delegated Healthcare Activities in Adult Social Care
New resources released by Skills for Care aim to improve transparency, safety and consistency when healthcare tasks are delegated to care staff in adult social care settings.
The guidance, titled “Supporting Delegated Healthcare Activities”, has been designed to support both care providers and healthcare professionals—often referred to as ‘prescribers’—who are responsible for assigning clinical tasks to the social care workforce.
What the new guidance covers
The new resources provide clear frameworks to help ensure delegated tasks are:
- Safe and appropriate for the individual receiving care
- Carried out by suitably trained and competent staff
- Clearly recorded and understood by everyone involved
A key focus is improving communication and accountability between health and social care services, helping to reduce confusion about roles and responsibilities.
What are delegated healthcare activities?
Delegated healthcare activities are clinical or health-related tasks that are usually carried out by a registered healthcare professional but can be safely passed on to trained care staff.
Examples include:
- Administering medication (including injections in some cases)
- Supporting with feeding through a PEG tube
- Monitoring blood glucose levels
- Carrying out basic wound care
The guidance highlights that not all tasks are suitable for delegation, and decisions should always be based on the needs of the individual and the competence of the worker.
Supporting safer, person-centred care
Skills for Care says the resources have been developed to ensure that people receiving care experience safe, effective and person-centred support, regardless of who is delivering the task.
For care providers, the guidance offers practical tools such as checklists, training advice and documentation templates. For prescribers, it outlines how to assess risk, confirm competence, and maintain oversight of delegated tasks.
What this means for the sector
The introduction of these resources reflects a growing need for closer working between health and social care services, particularly as more complex care is delivered in community and residential settings.
For professionals, the guidance will help:
- Clarify responsibilities when delegating tasks
- Improve record-keeping and communication
- Support workforce development and confidence
Find out more
Full details and access to the resources can be found on the Skills for Care website:
👉 https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk
Key message
As the boundaries between health and social care continue to overlap, clear guidance like this is essential. The new resources from Skills for Care aim to ensure delegated healthcare activities are carried out safely, transparently and in the best interests of those receiving care.