Approved by the Workforce Development PAG
February 2005
CONTENTS
Page
Introduction 1
1. Lifelong Learning 2
2. Principles 2
3. The Processes to Achieve Lifelong Learning 2
3.1 Induction 2
3.2 Appraisal 3
3.3 Training Needs Analysis 4
3.4 Approaches to Learning 5
3.5 Mandatory Training 5
3.6 Non-professionally Affiliated Staff 6
3.7 Continuous Professional Development (CPD) 6
3.8 Leadership and Management Development 7
3.9 Equality of Opportunity 7
4. Service Users and Carers 8
5. Monitoring and Review 9
Appendix 1 (Training Needs Analysis Process) 10
Appendix 2 (Study Leave Process) 11
Appendix 3 (Study Leave Application Form and Guidelines) 12
Introduction
The Trust approved the Human Resources Strategy (2003-2006) in September 2003. A key area within this was the Continuing Personal and Professional Development of its workforce linked with the service modernisation programme. It is recognised that we need a framework to provide a strategic approach to lifelong learning within the Trust and with our partners and stakeholders. This document was widely consulted on with all stakeholders prior to approval.
The framework sets out:
· the principles that underpin learning organisations;
· the organisational processes by which we will achieve lifelong learning;
· the priority development areas for action;
· the Trust’s commitment to Diversity through equality of opportunities to training and development activity.
It also affirms our partnership approach to the integrated services.
It is intended to support change and the achievement of our Vision, Values and Goals within a climate of learning and development. As a learning organisation, we believe that the development of competence for all staff is central to modernising and re-shaping services around service users and their families. Personal and professional development and training opportunities are provided that are accessible to staff irrespective of their working patterns as part of our commitment to the Improving Working Lives and Investor in People Standards. Therefore, this framework recognises, values and aims to realise lifelong learning as an essential element of successful individual, team and organisational performance.
For the purposes of the framework the following definitions have been adopted.
1. Lifelong Learning
Continuous acquisition of the skills, knowledge and understanding, are essential for employability and development. Learning – a change in capability, whether of individuals, teams, or the organisation and is achieved through:
· Training – the systematic development of knowledge, skills, behaviours and attitudes, specific to a given task or role.
· Development – the longer-term investment in people. This takes time and is about enabling people, in a range of ways, to benefit from life opportunities and experience.
· Education – the broader and/or deeper development of knowledge and understanding.
2. Principles
There is increasing evidence that learning and development forms part of good employment practice and lies at the heart of effective organisational performance. Within the framework for lifelong learning for the NHS, Working Together – Learning Together (Department of Health, 2001) it defines a number of characteristics which are key to developing a successful NHS learning organisation. This framework builds upon these characteristics and is designed to provide:
· a clear framework for the investment in the training and development of the workforce which is strongly linked to the new roles and new ways of working which underpin the modernisation programme;
· a clear route for managers to access resources for learning and development;
· a link to the Trust’s HR Strategy by recognising that training delivery needs to be in partnership with service user and carer representatives, education providers, staff, trade unions and other organisations and meets professional regulatory requirements;
· a system of Appraisal and personal development planning for all staff – linked to organisational and individual needs which are regularly reviewed;
· a process that demonstrates that access to education and training is available on an equitable, non-discriminatory and increasingly flexible basis to all staff groups in supporting the development of a diverse workforce;
· a commitment to the provision of a flexible and creative approach to learning;
· a commitment to Improving Working Lives and the Investor in People standards;
· strong links with Agenda for Change and the Knowledge and Skills Framework;
· a variety of development methods – including coaching, mentorship, learning sets, job rotation, secondments, project work, sabbaticals, as well as formal education and training aimed at enabling staff to progress their careers and build on their skills and expertise;
· a consistent approach to the evaluation of learning and development activity;
· where possible and, appropriate, in collaboration with Higher Education Institutions and other organisations.
3. The processes to achieve life-long learning
3.1 Induction
The Trust is currently piloting a 2 day Induction Programme for all staff with the aim of welcoming and assimilating them into the organisation. The Induction Programme offers an early opportunity to demonstrate the Vision, Values and Goals of the organisation within the Service Governance Framework and the contribution staff make to the delivery of high quality care. It offers the chance for the Trust to demonstrate its commitment to building a competent workforce who can continually develop within the lifelong learning process.
We will be evaluating the pilot but the aim is to run the programme every 6 weeks and will provide new staff (and our partners) with an overview of the organisation, our key priorities, what they can expect from us and our expectations of them. The pilot includes:
- introduction to the Trust (Vision, Values and Goals)
- how it feels to use mental health services (from a service users perspective)
- our approach to risk and risk management
- how we deal with Compliments and Complaints
- how we involve service users and their carers
- Improving Working Lives/HR Issues
- our approach to mandatory training
As part of the 2 day programme we are running a ‘market place’ style session where departments and services provide information with representatives on hand to answer questions. The following subjects are represented at the Market place:
- Training and Development
- Moving and Handling
- Pastoral Care
- Staff Counselling
- Payroll
- PALS
- Public Relations
- Personal Safety
- Health and Safety
- Risk Management
- Mental Health Act
At service level, workplace induction begins on the individual’s first day and continues until new staff are properly integrated into teams and conversant with working practices. These arrangements apply both to permanent and temporary staff. To support this we provide new starters and their managers with a ‘workplace induction checklist’ which also promotes and signposts mandatory training.
Aims / 1. / To utilise the NHSU Induction package where the content is appropriate.2. / To promote our mandatory training arrangements
3. / To continue to evaluate and revise the Induction process.
3.2 Appraisal
The process of Appraisal and Development Review is fundamental to our becoming a learning organisation. The Trust’s Appraisal and Development Review is designed to:
· establish where each individual role fits in with the Trust’s Vision, Values and Goals, IWL Principles and Practices and the Knowledge and Skills Framework,
· review past performance,
· set realistic objectives,
· communicate the value we place on individual contributions, initiatives and achievements,
· identify future learning and development needs, which are then reflected in the training needs analysis,
· improve motivation and job satisfaction and provide the opportunity to discuss work life balance and flexible working options.
The process is compulsory for all staff and the Trust’s standard is that this will take place at least once a year with a six monthly review and is an ongoing process. To be effective for all, the Appraisal process must be continually reviewed and re-asserted as an organisational priority as part of Agenda for Change.
Aims / 1. / To continue to promote the Appraisal and development review process linked to KSF.2. / To monitor and regularly review the Appraisal process via IWL, IIP assessments and the Staff Opinion Survey.
3. / To ensure that Personal Development Plans (PDPs) are effectively utilised to inform the prioritisation of learning and development programmes.
4. / To implement Knowledge and Skills Framework to support individual learning and development.
3.3 Training Needs Analysis
The Trust recognises that to deliver high quality care in line with the principles of Clinical Governance, health care staff must have a range of competencies which we define as the knowledge, skills, behaviours and attitudes to be effective in their work role. An annual Trust-wide training needs analysis is undertaken in the Spring, which is responsive to the Personal Development Plans which are produced as part of the Appraisal process. Managers are asked to identify training needs for their staff, linked to the PDPs but ensuring that mandatory and essential training requirements are given priority. Other priority areas are the modernisation programme, training included in action plans arising from Independent Inquiries, Professional Regulatory requirements and any national policy relevant to the particular work area. The training needs analysis process is described in Appendix 1.
Aims / 1. / To continue to develop the Training Needs Analysis process ensuring that this promotes the development of competence and is consistent with our Vision, Values and Goals.2. / To identify best practice in undertaking analysis and utilise the methodology.
3.4 Approaches to learning
It is increasingly recognised that people learn in different ways according to their personalities and as such we have an obligation to offer creative and flexible approaches. Both service pressures and increasing diversity in staff working patterns may result in difficulties in attending traditional learning events and, therefore, there are benefits in having flexible approaches such as distance learning, e-learning and work-based learning opportunities. Work-based learning is something that the Trust is actively promoting and is described in the Non-course-based Learning Opportunities document (available on the Intranet). All of the different opportunities described contribute to continuing personal development.
Aims / 1. / To continue to promote and develop work-based and non-course-based learning opportunities.2. / To establish an e-learning portfolio for aspects of mandatory training and development elements.
3.5 Mandatory Training
The Training Needs Analysis process aims to identify and prioritise the mandatory training needs for all services. Working with managers and senior clinicians representing all localities and specialisms within the Trust, the Training Needs Analysis has been re-visited to identify the mandatory training for all Trust staff, for the specialism in which they work and for those requirements which are job specific.
This approach needs to be maintained and further developed by considering those core professional and vocational competencies that are required for the delivery of safe and effective mental health and learning disability services.
Aims / 1. / To develop a mandatory training strategy responsive to meeting health and safety needs together with professional, personal and service-related requirements.2. / To review the service level agreements for training with Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust and Mid-Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust with the aim of bringing the provision ‘in-house’..
3.6 Non-professionally Affiliated Staff (those who do not have a professional qualification)
The NHS Plan gave a major commitment to supporting and developing staff who do not have a professional qualification. They work in diverse and important jobs, all of which are integral to modernising care and service delivery. The plan stated that staff without a professional qualification will have access either to an NHS Learning Account (ILA) or to dedicated training, such as National Vocational Qualification (NVQ Level II or III), Basic Skills, including Adult Literacy and Numeracy.
We want to open up opportunities for existing staff and those who join the Trust at relatively low skills levels to progress their skills through investment in learning and development to professional levels by moving up a ‘skills escalator’.
A basic skills programme will include supported assessment of staff’s learning needs, resulting in progression towards the relevant learning pathway.
Aims / 1. / To develop an NVQ Strategy which promotes the skills escalator approach for all staff.2. / To continue to optimise on funding opportunities and resources via the West Yorkshire Workforce Development Confederation and the Learning Skills Council.
3. / To increase NVQ assessment capacity across all localities of the Trust.
3.7 Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
Staff access post-registration modules at a range of universities. We are served locally by the four universities of Leeds, Leeds Metropolitan University, Bradford and the University of Huddersfield, with whom we have a number of joint appointments. Specific courses are also offered at universities outside West Yorkshire, eg, York and Derby. It has been acknowledged that the current process for identifying need and projecting demand is flawed. Working with the West Yorkshire Workforce Development Confederation Trust staff from each locality have undertaken a modular training programme ‘Workforce Planning and Development’. The aim of the programme is to ensure we have both a process and the skills to ensure a more integrated and robust system.
Additionally, the Workforce Development Confederation has developed a Commissioning Group on which the Trust has representation. This Group has the aim of producing a systematic framework for commissioning education.
Senior clinicians and managers work with Higher Education Institutions to develop post-registration modules which reflect and promote evidence-based practice in line with our modernisation programme and care pathways development.
Aims / 1. / To ensure high-quality practice placements for both pre- and post-registration students and to participate in the Major Review of healthcare education.2. / In partnership with the WDC and HEIs ensure educational portfolios are evidence-based and promote best practice in effective mental health and learning disability care.
3.8 Leadership and Management Development
We have the Leadership and Management Framework which devolves local decision making and influence as near to where services are provided as possible. Therefore, we are committed to equipping staff to work in this way.
The Trust continues to modernise its services, which includes significant changes to the way that services are delivered. As leaders of frontline services across the Trust, the ‘middle managers’ (team leaders, ward managers, service heads etc) have been clearly identified as a staff group requiring a priority focus as their role is pivotal to the success of the Modernisation Programme.