Care training for providers in Reading and Berkshire
Moving and handling, medication and first aid training for care homes, home care agencies and supported living providers. We train over 300 carers a year from providers across Berkshire. Book a session for your team.
How booking works
- 1Pick your course›
- 2Pick a date›
- 3Book your places›
- 4We send confirmation and joining details›
- 5Your staff attend›
- 6Each person gets their certificate and assessments
Prefer to book by phone?
A real person answers. Ring us and we will talk through what your team needs and find a date that works.
Call 0118 391 3542Book a training session
Pick the course, pick a date, then book a place for each member of staff. Each session shows the date, time, location, places remaining and the price per place.
Over 300 carers trained a year
We do not just train our own team. Care homes, home care agencies and supported living providers across Berkshire send their carers to us, because our training academy is one of the things that sets Apex apart. Over 300 external carers a year come through our doors. We have been nominated for a Training and Development award, which tells you the standard is recognised outside Apex, not just inside it.
The four main courses we run
Each course follows the same structure, so a manager knows exactly what their staff will get. Every course finishes with a certificate, a knowledge assessment and a practical assessment, because that is what you need to show an inspector. If you need a course that is not listed here, contact us to inquire about any other courses and we will see what we can do.
Moving and handling training, which we call moving and positioning
- Who it is for
- For new carers and anyone who has not had moving and positioning training before. If your staff support people with mobility needs, use hoists or assist with transfers, this is the course to start them on.
- What your staff will be able to do afterwards
- Your staff will be able to move and position someone safely, use a hoist and sling correctly, and know when a move is not safe to attempt alone. They will understand the difference between moving and handling done well and moving and handling done badly, and why the difference matters to the person being moved.
- How long it takes
- A full day, six hours.
- Classroom, practical, or both
- Both classroom and practical. Your staff learn the principles in the room, then practise them on the equipment and on each other under supervision.
- What they receive at the end
- A certificate, a knowledge assessment and a practical assessment. Every course we run finishes with all three, because that is what a manager needs to show an inspector. The standard is verified by an external provider who checks the training given, so the certificate carries weight outside Apex.
- How often it needs refreshing
- We recommend refreshing moving and handling training yearly. Skills drift if they are not practised, and a year is the interval most providers and insurers expect.
Moving and positioning refresher
- Who it is for
- For carers who have done the foundation course before and need to refresh their moving and handling skills. We recommend a refresher yearly, and this is the course for that.
- What your staff will be able to do afterwards
- Your staff will be up to date with current moving and handling practice, confident using the equipment, and able to spot when a technique has slipped. Manual handling is a skill that drifts if it is not refreshed, and this course brings it back.
- How long it takes
- Half a day, three hours.
- Classroom, practical, or both
- Both classroom and practical, with more time on the practical side than the foundation course, because the people on it already know the basics.
- What they receive at the end
- A certificate, a knowledge assessment and a practical assessment, the same as the foundation course. The standard is verified by an external provider who checks the training given.
- How often it needs refreshing
- We recommend refreshing moving and handling training yearly. This course is the yearly refresher.
Medication training
- Who it is for
- For carers who administer or prompt medication. If your staff handle tablets, liquids, creams or patches, or support someone to take their own medication, this course covers what they need to know.
- What your staff will be able to do afterwards
- Your staff will be able to give medication safely, record it properly, spot when something is wrong, and know what to do if a dose is missed or refused. They will understand the difference between prompting, assisting and administering, and where the lines are drawn.
- How long it takes
- Half a day, three hours.
- Classroom, practical, or both
- Classroom based with practical exercises. Your staff work through real scenarios, so they leave knowing what to do in the situations they will actually meet, not just the theory.
- What they receive at the end
- A certificate, a knowledge assessment and a practical assessment. The standard is verified by an external provider who checks the training given.
- How often it needs refreshing
- We recommend refreshing medication training yearly. Guidance and best practice change, and a yearly refresh keeps your staff current.
First aid training
- Who it is for
- For carers and support staff who need first aid skills. If your team work alone in people's homes, a first aid course is not a nice to have, it is the thing that lets them act while waiting for an ambulance.
- What your staff will be able to do afterwards
- Your staff will be able to respond to the common situations they might meet in someone's home: a fall, a cut, a choking episode, a sudden illness. They will know when to call 999, what to do while they wait, and how to keep the person calm and safe.
- How long it takes
- Half a day, three hours.
- Classroom, practical, or both
- Both classroom and practical, with hands-on practice on mannequins and training aids.
- What they receive at the end
- A certificate, a knowledge assessment and a practical assessment. The standard is verified by an external provider who checks the training given.
- How often it needs refreshing
- We recommend refreshing first aid training every three years. That is the standard interval for first aid certificates, and it keeps your staff within the recommended timeframe.
Every course we run finishes with a certificate, a knowledge assessment and a practical assessment. That is what a manager needs to show a CQC inspector, so that is what we give you. The standard of the training is verified by an external provider who checks the training given, so the certificate carries weight outside Apex.
Who comes to us
We train carers from across the Berkshire care sector, not just our own team.
We train over 300 carers a year from other providers across Berkshire. Whether you are a care home manager booking a whole team or a home care agency topping up your training, you are welcome.
How the Care Certificate works
The Care Certificate is the recognised standard for people who are new to care in England. It was developed jointly by Skills for Care, NHS England and Skills for Health. It sets out the knowledge, skills and behaviours expected of someone working in health and social care.
It is not a legal requirement in itself. The legal duty on a provider is to make sure staff are properly trained, supervised and competent. The Care Certificate is the framework the sector uses to show that, and the Care Quality Commission expects providers to follow it.
The sixteen standards
Since March 2025 there have been sixteen standards.
- 1Understand your role
- 2Your personal development
- 3Duty of care
- 4Equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights
- 5Work in a person centred way
- 6Communication
- 7Privacy and dignity
- 8Fluids and nutrition
- 9Awareness of mental health and dementia
- 10Adult safeguarding
- 11Safeguarding children
- 12Basic life support
- 13Health and safety
- 14Handling information
- 15Infection prevention and control
- 16Awareness of learning disability and autism
How someone is assessed
There are two halves to it. First, knowing: the carer has to show they understand each standard, which can be written or talked through. Second, doing: a supervisor watches them carry it out during real visits, with real people, not in a classroom. Some things, like basic life support, are practised rather than observed on a real person, but everything else has to be seen in the work itself.
There is no exam at the end, and no limit on how many times someone can be assessed. Online learning on its own is not enough to complete it. The registered manager signs it off, only once all sixteen standards are done, and that responsibility cannot be handed to an outside training company.
When it is completed
The Care Certificate is worked through during induction rather than before a carer's first day. What matters, and what we hold to, is that nobody works with someone on their own until a supervisor has assessed them as competent for that part of the job. Until then they are working alongside an experienced carer.
Before a new carer visits anyone on their own, they complete our mandatory training and shadow an experienced carer until a supervisor is satisfied they are ready. That covers moving and positioning, medication, recording and reporting, dementia awareness and mental capacity. Alongside that, every carer works through the Care Certificate during their induction.
The practical details
What a manager needs to know before picking up the phone.
Group sizes
A minimum of 5 and a maximum of 10 people per session. That keeps the group small enough for everyone to get hands-on practice and for our trainer to see each person properly.
Where we train
We can come to your premises, or your team can come to us in Reading. Either way works, so tell us which suits you and we will sort the rest.
How far ahead to book
See the calendar above for all available dates. Pick a session that works for your team and we will confirm it with you.
What it costs
Training is priced per place on a scheduled session, or per group for a dedicated session. Private sessions for a whole team, or training at your own premises, are quoted separately. Ring us and we will give you a proper price.
We train what we practise
Apex is a CQC registered care provider itself. We are not just a training company. Our own carers go through the same academy every year, so the training we give your staff is the training we trust for our own.
9.7 out of 10
from 125 homecare.co.uk reviews
Families and providers alike rate Apex highly. The reviews below are Google reviews left by care workers and managers who have completed training in our Reading academy.
I had an amazing experience learning from this trainer. Their teaching style is highly practical, engaging, and easy to follow. She doesn't just teach the syllabus; she prepares you for real-world challenges.
Puneet Arora
Care worker training participant
The training was awesome. The trainer took time to explain everything in a very understandable way. She was patient with us and answered all our questions one after another.
Kalu Nsi
Care team member
Fantastic experience with Apex Health Services in Reading. The team is genuinely caring, professional, and they actually listen. Appointments and training are handled impeccably.
Obi One
Care client & partner
Experienced Train the Trainer Instructors
Our courses are delivered in-house by experienced, qualified Train the Trainer leads who deliver practical, engaging instruction tested daily within our own CQC-registered service.
Want us to come to you, or a session just for your team?
Tell us and we will come back to you the same working day.
Apex has been nominated for a Training and Development award. Being nominated tells you the standard of our training is recognised outside Apex, not just inside it.
Professional Care Training for Berkshire Providers
The questions care home and home care managers ask us most often, answered plainly.
Do you provide moving and handling training for care homes?
Yes. We provide moving and handling training for care homes, home care agencies and supported living providers across Berkshire. Our moving and positioning courses are designed for staff who support people with mobility needs, whether in a residential setting or in people's own homes.
Is moving and handling the same as manual handling?
Yes, the two phrases mean the same thing. Some people call it manual handling, some call it moving and handling, and we call it moving and positioning. They all describe the same training: how to move and support someone safely without hurting them or yourself.
How long is the moving and handling course?
The foundation course is a full day, six hours. The refresher is half a day, three hours. The foundation covers the principles and the practical skills from scratch, while the refresher brings people back up to date who have done it before.
Do you come to our premises or do we come to you?
Both work. We can come to your premises, or your team can come to us in Reading. Either way suits us, so tell us which works for you and we will sort the rest. Private sessions at your own premises are quoted separately.
What is the difference between the foundation and refresher courses?
The foundation course is for people who have not had moving and handling training before, or who need to learn it from scratch. It is a full day and covers everything. The refresher is for people who have done it before and need to bring their skills back up to standard. It is three hours and spends more time on the practical side.
How often does moving and handling training need refreshing?
We recommend a yearly refresh for moving and handling training. Skills drift if they are not practised, and a year is the interval most providers and insurers expect.
Do you offer medication training?
Yes. Our medication training is half a day, three hours, and covers prompting, assisting and administering medication safely. Your staff will know how to record it properly, what to do if a dose is missed or refused, and where the lines are drawn between the three. We recommend refreshing medication training yearly.
Do you offer first aid training for carers?
Yes. Our first aid training is half a day, three hours, and is aimed at carers and support staff who work alone in people's homes. It covers the common situations they might meet: a fall, a cut, a choking episode, a sudden illness, and when to call 999. We recommend refreshing first aid training every three years.
What do staff receive at the end?
Every course finishes with a certificate, a knowledge assessment and a practical assessment. That is what a manager needs to show a CQC inspector, so that is what we give you for every person who attends. The standard of the training is verified by an external provider who checks the training given, so the certificate carries weight outside Apex.
Can you train a whole team at once?
Yes. Group sizes run from a minimum of 5 to a maximum of 10 people per session. If you have a larger team, we can run more than one session. For a private session just for your team, or training at your own premises, use the enquiry form below and we will come back to you the same working day.
Can you come to our premises?
Yes. We can come to your premises anywhere in the Berkshire area, or your team can come to us in Reading. Use the enquiry form below to tell us what you need and we will come back to you the same working day with a proper price.
How much does it cost per person?
Training is priced per place on a scheduled session. Private sessions for a whole team, or training at your own premises, are quoted separately. Ring us on 0118 391 3542 and we will give you a proper price.
How quickly can you fit us in?
See the calendar above for all available dates. Pick a session that works for your team and book it there. If nothing on the calendar suits you, ring us and we will see what we can do. We train over 300 carers a year so the calendar is usually busy, but we will always try to find a way.
How do I book places for several staff?
Pick the course, pick a date on the calendar, then book a place for each member of staff. At booking we collect the company name, a contact name, phone and email, and the names of the people attending, because the certificates are issued per person and filed per company.
What comes next
A lot of people who train with Apex end up wanting to work here. And a lot of health and social care professionals who need a reliable training partner end up referring to us.
Looking for care work?
Many of the carers who train with us go on to join our team. We are always looking for good people across Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell and Newbury.
See care jobsHealth and social care professionals
If you are a discharge team or a social worker needing a reliable, CQC registered provider for a placement, we offer a same working day response.
Referral informationWhy we train over 300 carers a year
Our training academy is part of who we are. Read about the company behind it, how long we have been caring for Berkshire families, and what we mean by care like family.
About ApexRing us to book training
Pick up the phone and speak to a real person. We will talk through what your team needs and find a date that works.
Want to train with Apex?
Whether you are a care home, a home care agency or a supported living provider, our academy can help. Ring us on 0118 391 3542 and we will talk through what you need.
