TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
i Under the spotlight
The support workforce may have suffered from a lack of attention or understanding in the past, exacerbated by the diffi culty in quantifying its members, but this year a number of high- profi le reports have sought to change that.
The Francis, Berwick and Cavendish reviews all highlighted the importance of greater compassion in care, with the latter focusing specifi cally on healthcare assistants.
It launched a debate on the level of scrutiny for HCA training standards, and whether greater regulation is needed for the support workforce.
Discussing the Cavendish review, Miller said: “It sets the wider scene for what we will do.”
Hancock added: “It’s very clear from all of this that the need for care within the healthcare system is vital” and suggested apprenticeships could help to fi ll this shortfall, to strengthen the culture of compassion in the NHS.
‘A fundamental role’
While the exact nature of any response will depend upon Government, it is expected that the academy will have a signifi cant role in helping to deliver this.
One recommendation called for a new certifi cate in fundamental care, which could be one area the NSA Health provides practical support for its members.
Miller said: “Whether that’s in the form of resources, or putting on skills sharing events, running webinars – we’re still in discussion about how we address that.
“It’s not for us to say what that should look like; however we do expect that the NSA will play a fundamental role in that.
“[Government] take forward the design and development of that framework; we would ensure our members have the practical resources to deliver it, that learning providers know quality what it looks like and how it needs to be delivered.”
Gold standard
Miller said the academy “absolutely” agreed on the need for more of a quality consideration for learning and training for the support workforce.
With the Sector Skills Council, NSA Health will administer a new quality mark scheme, to “kite mark” high quality learning programmes.
The launch of the academy was “very timely”, she added, considering the huge reforms which have taken place – and still are taking place – in the healthcare sector with “all the expectations that have rightly been placed on making sure there is better training available to the whole workforce”.
It also dovetails with a push for greater appreciation of the value of apprenticeships and more work-based training.
More stories like this at:
www.publicsectorexecutive.com/ workforce-pensions-and-training
Above, left to right: Hugh Taylor, chair of NSA Health; Tristan Tucker, young apprentice; Minister for Skills, Matthew Hancock; Candace Miller, director of NSA Health; Joseph Banton, young apprentice; and John Rogers, chief executive of Skills for Health, at the launch of National Skills Academy for Health
Standardised quality, not delivery
Miller continued: “Apprenticeships offer a really effective way of making sure that training is of the highest possible quality because they set down a standard framework.
“You don’t have to deliver it in an absolutely standardised fashion but you do have to make sure you meet certain standards and deliver the content that has been developed by employers as the requirements that they have for different roles.
“Really we ought to have nothing but the best in apprenticeships programmes – that’s absolutely what we’re here to do.”
Miller said that while health sector employers do deliver a fair number of apprenticeships, it’s “probably fewer than they should” and there is “patchy” engagement across the country.
This is one area where the NSA Health can provide support to encourage and enable better take-up.
“We’ll be promoting apprenticeships, providing employers with access to resources and skills sharing programmes which will help them to learn from the best and make sure they too can make the best use of the apprenticeship’s framework as a way to recruit the workforce they will need for the future.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION
www.nsahealth.org.uk
public sector executive Sep/Oct 13 | 73
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