Skills for Health has unveiled the latest version of its LearnSpace learning management system, which introduces streamlined new licensing and support options: LearnSpace Lite, LearnSpace Core and LearnSpace Pro.  

The revamped learning management system, which is tailored to the requirements of healthcare sector employers, provides an easy-to-use and intuitive learner experience.  

LearnSpace Core and LearnSpace Pro users will now also benefit from a range of additional enhancements and features to monitor and track compliance and manage eLearning in one place. 

All new statutory and mandatory training compliance dashboards (unique to LearnSpace Core and LearnSpace Pro) give managers the option to assign courses and track progress in real-time. 

The LearnSpace alerts and notifications service sends triggered prompts to learners, whereas compliance status updates empower staff to monitor their own compliance at the touch of a button. 

In addition to new compliance-ready features for managers, LearnSpace Pro provides a raft of customisation features, including custom designs, bulk imports of employee training records and the option to deliver custom eLearning courses. 

LearnSpace Core and LearnSpace Pro subscribers will also receive Skills for Health’s dedicated technical support package which has received an industry-leading customer satisfaction rating, with an average response time of 45 minutes¹. 

LearnSpace Core and LearnSpace are available from as little as 30p² per user per month – to learn more visit: www.skillsforhealth.org.uk/products/learnspace.

NHS Shared Business Services has been announced as sponsor of the NHS Improvement through Digital Innovation award category at the 2024 Our Health Heroes Awards, delivered by Skills for Health. 

The organisation, which is a national joint venture set up between the Department for Health and Social Care and digital experts Sopra Steria, provides back-office services such as accounting, procurement, payroll, managed IT and advisory support to NHS organisations.  

As a champion of digital innovation in healthcare, the award category is a natural choice to get behind, says NHS Shared Business Services Managing Director Erika Bannerman. 

“NHS teams and organisations are at the forefront of harnessing the power of digital technology to improve working processes and deliver better patient care. 

“We are delighted to be able to support this award which recognises and celebrates those blazing a trail in the digital provision of healthcare.” 

Previous winners of the NHS Improvement through Digital Innovation award include Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust’s pioneering use of AI to speed up stroke diagnoses as well as the team at University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust who oversaw the roll out of Freestyle Libre device to help diabetes patients manage their condition, freeing up valuable nursing time. 

The Our Health Heroes Awards ceremony will be held at the QEII Centre in Central London on 16 April where the winners of the NHS Improvement through Digital Innovation award and 10 other categories will be revealed. 

NHS Shared Business Services joins NHS England, NHS Employers, NHS Race & Health Observatory and more in supporting the eighth edition of the annual Our Health Heroes Awards.

To find out more about NHS Shared Business Services visit > www.sbs.nhs.uk 

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A study by Skills for Health suggests that Black NHS staff feel that the service is less inclusive when compared to their White or Asian counterparts.

The research surveyed more than 1,500 respondents on various aspects of inclusion in the workplace and on two key measures – psychological safety and perception of fairness – individuals from an Asian or Asian British or Black, Black British, Caribbean or African background recorded significantly lower scores than White colleagues did.

Roughly 40% of Black respondents rated their workplace as ‘very’ or ‘highly’ fair. This compares to 61% and 72% of Asian and White employees respectively.

Regarding psychological safety, which describes the belief that a person won’t be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns or mistakes at work, 52% of Black respondents rated their workplace positively compared to 55% of Asian and 64% of White NHS staff. Only 39% of Black respondents agreed that no one in their organisation would deliberately act in a way that undermines their efforts, compared to 54% and 53% of Asian and White colleagues.

Black workers were also four times more likely than White colleagues to report skills needs in equality, diversity and inclusion.

On a more positive note, a mere 7% of respondents said that they felt that NHS leadership didn’t take the issue of inclusion seriously enough.

Despite identifying clear disparities between different ethnic groups, the study’s author – Skills for Health – stops short of concluding that a perceived lack of inclusion is a universal NHS-wide issue, pointing to the fact that experiences tend to vary depending on the employer and job role.

Staff working for acute trusts for example were less likely than those working for voluntary and community sector organisations to rate their workplace as ‘very’ or ‘highly’ inclusive. By way of comparison, employees working in primary healthcare services and community healthcare services drew similar responses to each other, suggesting that some NHS employers are performing better than others.

Jon Czul is Head of Consultancy and Research at Skills for Health – the team which carried out the research.

“The NHS has one of the most ethnically diverse workforces in the public sector – this is something that deserves to be recognised and celebrated,” says Mr Czul.

“However, if these findings are anything to go by, it is clear that there is still a way to go in parts of the system when it comes to certain aspects of inclusion given the disparities between Black, Asian and White respondents when it comes perceptions of fairness in the workplace.

“Whilst it would appear that NHS employers are getting some things right – perceptions of inclusive leadership for example are encouraging, so too the suggestion that inclusion (or lack thereof) is not a deep-seated cultural issue across the system as a whole. The fact remains that there is a pressing need, as borne out by the survey findings, for an expansion of skills training and shared learning to improve equality, diversity and inclusion, as well as broader targeted measures to widen workforce participation.”

Professor Habib Naqvi MBE, Chief Executive, NHS Race & Health Observatory – an organisation set up in 2020 to help tackle ethnic and racial inequalities in health and healthcare. Offering his reflections on the survey Professor Naqvi says, “This study helps to drive home the message that fostering a greater sense of inclusion remains a priority issue that NHS employers need to address.”

“We know from NHS workforce race equality data, and from findings from the annual NHS staff survey, that the NHS, as the biggest employer of Black and ethnic minority staff in Europe, needs to reinvigorate its commitment to tackling the long-standing challenge of race discrimination experienced by its staff. This is particularly true, given the record levels of discrimination faced by Black and ethnic minority staff during the Covid pandemic.

“Additionally, an independent review is also needed to better understand the ethnicity pay and progression gap across the NHS. The Observatory is ready to support the NHS with information, advice and evidence-based action to address workforce inequalities,” he continued.

Nominations are open for this year’s Our Health Heroes Awards, delivered by Skills for Health.

Our Health Heroes celebrates the wider healthcare workforce that supports NHS doctors and nurses on the frontline. From porters and cleaners to receptionists, gardeners and security guards, these often unsung heroes make up roughly 40% of the NHS’s million strong workforce.

Our Health Heroes Awards is a national celebration of their achievements and an opportunity to give thanks for the important role that they play in keeping the health service functioning.

New for 2024 is the Healthcare Volunteer of the Year award, which recognises the valuable contribution of volunteers who give their time freely to support our healthcare system. With more than 300 voluntary roles in the NHS, we invite nominations for those who go above and beyond in their free time to brighten the lives of not only patients and services users, but also staff.

Our Health Heroes 2024 award categories

• Apprentice of the Year
• Best Healthcare Workforce Collaboration
• Best Healthcare Initiative in a Justice Setting
• Best Healthcare Support by a UK Charity
• Clinical Support Worker of the Year
• Dedication to a Lifelong Learning Culture – sponsored by SFJ Awards
• Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Champion – supported by NHS Race & Health Observatory
• Healthcare Volunteer of the Year
• NHS Improvement through Digital Innovation
• Operational Support Worker of the Year
• Outstanding Lifetime Contribution to Healthcare – sponsored by NHS Employers

The Mental Health Core Capabilities Framework, which supports mental health skills training and service development, is now available for public consultation. The launch coincides with World Mental Health Day which advocates for education and awareness of mental health and wellbeing.

The existing Mental Health Core Skills Education and Training Framework originally developed in 2016, “is in need of a review in light of growing emphasis on mental health in England since the Covid pandemic” say Skills for Health – the not-for-profit organisation leading on the consultation.

Facing a local and national shortage of Therapeutic Radiographers, University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (UHD) has embarked on an ambitious project to boost their recruitment and retention with the support of Wessex Cancer Alliance. 

Working with Skills for Health and Health Education England South East it has developed a new structured clinical career pathway for Therapeutic Radiographers focused on breast cancer that will enable progression through to advanced and then consultant level of practice.

It is hoped that expanding and enhancing career progression routes will make a career in therapeutic radiotherapy more attractive to new recruits and help with the retention of existing staff.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer in the UK; it is therefore a top priority to boost to the workforce says UHD Head of Therapy Radiography David Frost.

The winners of the seventh annual Our Health Heroes Awards were announced yesterday (7 June) at a glittering awards ceremony held at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in London.

Supported by NHS England, UNISON, NHS Employers, SFJ Awards, NHS Race & Health Observatory and National Health Executive, Our Health Heroes Awards celebrates the wider healthcare workforce that supports our NHS doctors and nurses on the frontline.

From porters and cleaners to receptionists, gardeners and security guards, these often unsung heroes make up roughly 40% of the NHS’s million plus workforce; Our Health Heroes Awards is a national celebration of their achievements and an opportunity to give thanks for the important role that they play in keeping our health service functioning.

This year’s gold, silver and bronze winners (listed below in that order for each category) are as follows:

Outstanding Lifetime Contribution to Healthcare, sponsored by NHS Employers:

• Toni Starr, Neonatal Sister, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Salli Jeynes, Chief Executive Officer, The End of Life Partnership
• Sandra Hands, Cluster Manager for North West Prisons, Spectrum Community Health CIC

Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by UNISON:

• Joe Maslen, Radiotherapy Assistant Practitioner, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
• Rochelle Sampson-Clarke, Estates Project Officer, Solent NHS Trust
• Hailei Petersen, Apprentice Nurse, Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Operational Support Worker of the Year, sponsored by UNISON:

• Mary McElroy, Integrated Care Team Admin Support, Southern Health & Social Care Trust
• Laura Cavina, Involvement Volunteer Coordinator, South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust
• Katie Whittam, Coordinator/Trainer, South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Clinical Support Worker of the Year:

• Karen Read, Breast Cancer Support Worker, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust
• Edelle Brown, Associate Practitioner, City Health Partnership CIC
• Helen McGowan-Thomson, Recruitment and Education Support Assistant, Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Team award category winners:

• The Sleep Charity (Dedication to a Lifelong Learning Culture – sponsored by SFJ Awards)
• Brighter Futures, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Best Health and Care Initiative by a UK Charity)
• Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust (NHS Improvement through Digital Innovation)
• Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (Best Integrated Care Workforce Programme)
• Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust (Best Emergency Services Collaboration)
• Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust (Best Healthcare Initiative in a Community or Criminal Justice Setting)
• Practice Plus Group (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champion)

John Rogers, Chief Executive of Skills for Health, said:

“A huge congratulations to all Our Health Heroes finalists. Without the wider healthcare workforce that Our Health Heroes Awards aims to recognise and celebrate our NHS would grind to a halt. Now more than ever, it is important to raise awareness of the valuable contribution that these inspirational teams and individuals make to the health of the nation and to thank them publicly for the sacrifices they make.”

Sarah Gorton, Head of Health at category sponsors UNISON, said:

“Huge congratulations to all the Our Health Heroes finalists and winners. The NHS simply could not function without the whole team. These awards shine a light on outstanding individuals whose work helps keep quality patient care at the core of the NHS. The hard work, dedication and expertise of health staff deserves to be recognised. These accolades give everyone the chance to celebrate the entire team.”

Danny Mortimer, Chief Executive of category sponsors NHS Employers, said:

“NHS Employers is proud to support the Our Health Heroes Awards Outstanding Lifetime Contribution to Healthcare category for 2023.

“I would like to pass on my sincere congratulations to all the winners of this year’s awards and to thank them for their contribution to the NHS.

“It is great that we can recognise the efforts of these individuals and teams through these awards and to celebrate the huge difference they make to patient care.”

Dr Habib Naqvi, Chief Executive of the NHS Race & Health Observatory, said:

“We were delighted to support this year’s Our Health Heroes Awards and the new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champion award category. Warmest congratulations to Faisal Zaman, and all finalists of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion champion award, on your well-deserved efforts and recognition. We are so proud of the hard work you are undertaking in ensuring your organisation actions commitment towards a diverse and inclusive workplace where all staff can thrive. EDI initiatives are crucial; not only do they benefit the healthcare workforce, but they also positively impact on the care and outcomes for all patients.”

The Our Health Heroes Awards 2023 is delivered by Skills for Health and supported by NHS England, UNISON, NHS Employers, NHS Race & Health Observatory and National Health Executive. To find out more visit: www.skillsforhealth.org.uk/awards

With less than a month to go until the 2023 Our Health Heroes Awards winners are revealed, ceremony host and comedian Paul Sinha fills us in his journey from locum GP to daytime TV and what guests can expect at the QEII Centre in London on 7^th June.

Paul, you are perhaps best known as ‘The Sinnerman’ on ITV’s hit quiz show The Chase. Readers might be surprised to learn that before you hit our TV screens, you actually trained as a medic and worked as a GP at a number of practices in London, is that right?

Since 2010, Skills for Health has conducted regular large-scale national surveys to provide a comprehensive picture of new and emerging workforce challenges across health and social care.

Today (17 May) it launches its 2023 State of the Workforce Survey to identify critical skills and development shortages at an individual, organisational, and systemic level to support the UK government, NHS, and social care leaders as they plan for the workforce of the future.