30 May 2008

Widening Participation for Health and Social Care Staff

A programme to help the Southern Health and Social Care Trust maximise the potential of staff through learning has culminated in a special presentation.

Heather Ellis, Head of Education, Learning and Development at the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, says, “This learning programme is one of the first examples in the NHS of courses designed explicitly to improve organisational productivity through increasing access to and participation in learning, particularly for staff who have frequently missed out on educational opportunities.

“The Supporting Workplace Learning BTEC is aimed at supervisors and the Health and Social Care Progression Certificate is open to any health or social care staff in bands 1-4.”

Paul Donaghy, Head of Widening Participation Unit at the Beeches Management Centre, explains, “The Widening Participation Unit was established in 2006 and last year we supported two training programmes designed to address productivity and participation within Trusts. The learning modules of the programmes are built around the NHS competency-based appraisal system and the Knowledge and Skills Framework with learning related to each student’s real life work experiences and practice. The modules are designed to identify the knowledge and skills which individuals need to apply in their post supporting them in their development in a fair and objective way enabling workforce development from the inside out.”

Brian Morgan, Assistant Supervisor in the Portering and Security Department, and Anne Holmes, Supervisor, made presentations on how the course has made a difference to their working lives.

Noeleen Smith, Head of School, and Nuala Gorman, Head of Care Management at the Southern Regional College, also addressed the event. Noeleen says, “Learners were Facilities Management staff and domiciliary care support workers who work alone providing home-based care to clients with a range of conditions. For many of the learners the courses were the first formal education they had participated in since leaving school 25 or 30 years ago. Although class room based, teaching is firmly linked to student’s work activities. The evaluation of the programmes showed that most students had, prior to commencing the programmes, a negative attitude towards learning. We believe that changed after completion of the courses.”

Staff Side representative Marie McAteer commends the programme: “These courses have developed positive attitudes towards learning amongst staff and have led to improved confidence and self esteem. This training addresses communication skills which results in better interaction between clients and patients, improvements in the quality of care and a reduction in errors. Communication between supervisors and staff also improved. In turn, effective team working reduces staff turnover, lowers stress levels and improves patient outcomes.”

Awards for Health and Social Care Progression Certificate were presented to Briege Casey, Elizabeth Graham, Helen Grant, Tracey Hollywood, Roisin Keenan, Roisin Kearney, Delores McAlinden, Brian Morgan, Tracey Morrison, Cecilia Murphy, Joeleen Rice and Kathleen Ward.

BTEC Supported Learning awards were presented to Margretta Chambers, Leona Davidson, Mary Doyle, June Ellenberg, Anne Holmes, Rosaleen Lilburn, Sara McCumisky, Bridie Mc Dermott, Sarah McKevitt, Bronagh Smyth, Elizabeth Watterson and Sonia Wilkinson.

The presentation of certificates was made by David Bingham, Director of Human Resources at the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, who concluded, “The Health and Social Care Progression Certificate and Supporting Workplace Learning Award modules are designed around the Knowledge and Skills Framework’s (KSF) six core competencies. These are communications, personal and people development, health, safety and security, service improvement, quality, and equality and diversity.

“It is vital that patient client care in Health and Social Care is modernised and improved to enable the provision of a fast, efficient and higher quality service. Within Northern Ireland some 14,000 health and social care staff have literacy support needs. These courses will directly improve the provision of quality care to clients and patients.”