Faculty of Health & Social Care

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Increasing the Participation of Health Care Practitioners in Continuing Professional Development Activities: A

Collaborative Approach between 3 NHS Trusts and the University of Salford

Jackie Leigh, School of Nursing, University of Salford Helen Ghaly, Faculty of Health & Social Care, University of Salford

Damien Halligan, Faculty of Health & Social Care, University of Salford Sandra Bann, Faculty of School of Nursing, University of Salford

Mary Douglas, Salford Royal Hospitals Foundation TrustElizabeth Tudor, Bolton Salford and Trafford Mental Health Trust

Diane Hooper, Salford Primary Care Trust

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Background to Project

• Continuing professional development (CPD) of the NHS workforce is synonymous with the UK government’s vision to modernise the NHS (DoH 1997, 2000, 2001a, 2004a, 2006). A highly trained workforce can be linked to service improvement and positive patient outcomes, ultimately impacting on the health and well-being of the population. There is evidence to link CPD to the recruitment and retention of staff in the NHS (DoH 2001b).

• The University of Salford Faculty of Health and Social Care are responsive to the CPD needs of health care practitioners and have developed an innovative portfolio of CPD activities to assist them meet their personal, professional and academic requirements. These innovative learning opportunities provided by the University need communicating within NHS and Non NHS organisations.

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Aims of Project

• Salford Royal Hospitals Foundation Trust, Salford Primary Care Trust and Bolton, Salford and Trafford Mental Health Trust in conjunction with the University of Salford are collaborating in a project to improve communication and understanding of CPD activities through the use of trust intranet sites.

• The aims of the project are to utilise the NHS organisational intranet sites to:- – Provide information about the Faculty’s programmes and CPD and lifelong learning

activities– Make it easier for NHS staff to make enquiries to the Faculty and receive information– Assess the feasibility of utilising NHS sites across Greater Manchester and the North

West to improve the communication and promotion of the Faculty’s programmes and CPD activities within the NHS

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Benefits of the Project

• Promoting Faculty programmes and CPD activities via NHS Intranet sites will make it easier for NHS staff to understand what programmes are available and appropriate for their CPD needs

• Concurrently managers in the NHS who have a responsibility for planning the education and development needs of its workforce will have continuous access to up to date quality information about education and development opportunities available for their staff

• This provides a positive opportunity for the Faculty and University to assist trusts meets the government’s vision to modernise the NHS

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In collaboration with the NHS Trusts the Project Team are:-

• Meeting with key stakeholders from the 3 NHS Trusts

• Investigating and assessing the structure and content of their NHS intranet sites

• Determining what, where and how to provide information within the NHS intranet sites

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Information portal applicable to all 3 NHS Trust Intranet Sites:-

• An information portal page on the NHS Trust Intranet will enable easy access to relevant information for health care practitioners

• The portal page will provide clear pathways via appropriate links to information on Faculty web sites

• Information links will lead not only to course and CPD activities but also to the seminars and conferences available

• A landing page developed specifically for NHS Trust staff and accessed via the portal page will provide all the latest developments and opportunities on offer in the Faculty

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“New knowledge, improved skills, personal development. It all adds up to a better service.”

• Keep up-to-date with the changing world of health and social care• Develop your current role and improve your career prospects• Make a difference to your profession and the people around you

We are one the largest providers of health and social care education in the UK and offer a wide range of lifelong opportunities

Including - • Study days, workshops and short courses that are ideal for professionals from all backgrounds• An extensive post-graduate and post-qualifying menu with the opportunity to take single modules for all nurses and health care

professionals • Free Seminars that highlight our cutting-edge research portfolio• Conferences that attract delegates from around the world

“We believe that learning should be relevant, challenging and enjoyable”

Check out our latest developments and opportunities

Please contact us for more information

E: fhsc@salford.ac.uk

T: 0845 234 0184

Professional Development

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Long Term Strategies

• Findings from this pilot study will inform long term strategy

• The need to determine the feasibility of developing similar processes across the North West initially for the NHS but potentially to also include non NHS organisations and Social Services needs evaluating

• Evaluation of both access to the information provided and the usefulness of the information provided needs to be formally evaluated by practitioners and managers working in the NHS

• The findings need to be disseminated

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References• Department of Health (2006) Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services,

Department of Health, London• Department of Health (2004b) The NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (NHS KSF) and the

Development Review Process The Stationery Office: London • Department of Health (2004a) The NHS Improvement Plan: Putting People at the Heart of Public

Services, Department of Health, London• Department of Health (2001b) A Health Service of All the Talents: Developing the NHS Workforce, The

Stationary Office: London• Department of Health (2001a) Working Together- Learning Together: A Framework for Lifelong Learning,

The Stationery Office: London• Department of Health (2000) The NHS Plan: A Plan for Investment: A Plan for Reform, Department of

Health, London• Department of Health (1997) New NHS: modern-dependable, Department of Health, London

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Telephone: 0845 234 0184E-mail: fhsc@salford.ac.ukWeb address: www.fhsc.salford.ac.uk

Faculty of Health & Social Care