01.10.15
How can we act now to create a high-quality support workforce in the UK’S health sector?
Source: NHE Sep/Oct 15
Ian Wheeler, head of research, labour market intelligence and evaluation at Skills for Health, writes about the need to create a high-quality support workforce.
In debates around the future development of the health sector’s workforce, the current and possible future role of the support workforce is often overlooked. It is also clear that despite their contribution, they receive relatively little attention in terms of training, job enrichment or role development.
However, support workers are making a key contribution to the delivery of healthcare in the UK. They account for 40% (798,600), of the health sector workforce. It is widely acknowledged that these occupations now deliver in many instances most of the day-to-day, face-to-face caring.
Our own extensive research and direct experience working with health sector employers demonstrates how, with good planning, support workers can extend their activities, improve patient experience and relieve the pressures on their registered colleagues. Their effective use can improve productivity and efficiency. Indeed, we estimate that for every 1% in the shift of activities from ‘registered’ to ‘non-registered’ colleagues, about £100m could be saved in the UK’s health sector.
Awareness of the importance of better training and development of the support workforce is growing. The establishment of the Care Certificate as part of a support worker’s induction has highlighted core standards that support workers are required to meet before they can provide care. Such a standard is important in improving patient safety and experience.
But the roles of support workers and what they can provide are broad; they are far from a homogenous group. Some ‘entry level’ support roles provide much-needed routine services. Other more experienced and qualified support workers are able to work across a breadth of activities to a high technical standard with a degree of autonomy.
There are a wide range of suitable training and development activities available to support workers in the sector. Apprenticeships and higher apprenticeships, diplomas as well as QCF qualifications are all widely used, not to mention short courses, e-learning, coaching and mentoring. But these efforts on skills development need to be matched by a concerted effort on the part of employers to create high-quality rewarding support roles, and ideally progression into ‘registered’ roles if candidates feel inspired and equipped to do so.
This development and refinement of actual roles is important, as without the utilisation of skills at work, skills can degrade, support workers can become demotivated, and managers and leaders can find themselves questioning why they invest in these roles. And without progression, those trying to deliver health and social care can find their options for succession planning curtailed.
There are a range of questions that those developing the health sector’s workforce can ask. They should begin by asking ‘What are the needs of patients both now and perhaps in the future?’, ‘What skills mix do I need to deliver the service?’, and importantly ‘Is there an opportunity to use a high-quality support role?’ and ‘Can these roles relieve some of the pressures from the registered workforce?’
High-quality change management techniques are key in the long-term success of these roles. Time after time, in our work we see one of the most important ‘success’ features in using support workers is giving clarity to them and the teams they work within about their roles and responsibilities, what they can and what they can’t do. Such clarity will reduce the anxieties of colleagues in registered roles and provide a mandate for effective delegation of the right tasks that are within the scope of practice and competence of the support worker. In turn, those working in more advanced level support worker roles will be able to work at a ‘semi-autonomous’ level within the care plans of individuals.
Another key element of successful development of support workers is, as with many change management processes, the commitment of senior people to the venture with a plan of action, and a commitment to provide resources. There are many areas of excellent practices by employers who are elevating the roles of support workers and demonstrating what they are capable of. And, with ongoing development, support worker roles can help the sector provide efficient and high-quality healthcare and assist in helping the sector make productivity gains. There is a need for concerted action from employers throughout the sector to create real depth and breadth in these roles.
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