NHS GRAMPIAN
Workforce 2020
Aim
The Workforce 2020 is submitted to NHS Grampian Board for approval as it will form a significant part of this year’s Workforce Plan.
Strategic Context
The Workforce 2020 is the underpinning plan for the Healthfit strategy in terms of the future workforce. It shows the overall direction of travel required for the workforce in order to achieve the Healthfit vision. It highlights, some of the changes expected in terms of roles, ways of working, competence and the important partnerships and integrated working that will be required.
Discussion
Workforce 2020 was initiated through the Staff Governance Committee as a response to the Healthfit vision. Its aim was to clearly articulate how NHS Grampian will achieve its future vision through its workforce and how this is underpinned by the Staff Governance standards:
These Standards require all NHS Boards to ensure that staff are:
· well informed;
· appropriately trained and developed;
· involved in decisions;
· treated fairly and consistently, with dignity and respect, in an environment where diversity is valued; and
· provided with a continuously improving and safe working environment, promoting the health and wellbeing of staff, patients and the wider community.
The Standards also require all staff to:
· keep themselves up to date with developments relevant to their job within the organisation;
· commit to continuous personal and professional development;
· adhere to the standards set by their regulatory bodies;
· actively participate in discussions on issues that affect them either directly or via their trade union/professional organisation;
· treat all staff and patients with dignity and respect while valuing diversity; and
· ensure that their actions maintain and promote the health, safety and wellbeing of all staff, patients and carers.
Stakeholder Involvement
Workforce 2020 was developed through a workshop in September 2012. At the event the significant workforce challenges were highlighted and examples of individual services’ views of their Workforce 2020 were shared for Pharmacy, Respiratory and General Practice.
Process
Key questions were asked of the 68 participants with representatives from NHS Grampian, General Practice, other Boards and local authorities. These questions included:
a) what do we need to achieve from a workforce perspective by 2020?
b) describe what the workforce needs to look like in 2020?
c) what will be different?
d) what actions are critical to success?
e) what are the risks?
Feedback
All invitees and other key stakeholders were sent a draft of Workforce 2020 for consultation. The feedback received from a spectrum of groups, professions and individuals was used to ensure clarity, inclusion and commitment.
Summary of Key Themes
From the event and feedback a number of key themes have emerged including the need for a workforce that is generically skilled but as specialist as needed, whose role involves empowerment and enablement and is underpinned by trust and respect. The Workforce 2020 highlights that leadership and management are core to the future workforce as is the development of relationships and willingness and ability to change. Key to all of this will be team working, flexibility and the ability to use the emerging technology.
Key Risks
The relevant strategic risk (1134) for the Workforce 2020 is that of ensuring a sustainable workforce in terms of roles, skills and partnerships. There are a number of specific risks associated with the Workforce 2020 given that it is only 7 years away and there is a significant level of change required in terms of culture and behaviours. It will involve working in a more integrated way with our partners, patients and carers who may have conflicting drivers.
Another risk will be ensuring that staff have the appropriate competence and capability within the required timeframe to achieve the required level of change i.e. the time lags associated with changes within higher education and the need to identify an appropriate workforce supply to meet the future service demands.
The changes will require staff to work across professional and organisational boundaries and to become more flexible and fluid. They will be expected to work differently in terms of roles, locations and services.
A further risk is that this level of change requires the whole workforce (and our partners) to step up to the challenges and commit to the changes required.
The annual NHS Grampian Workforce Plan will identify how these risks will be mitigated in the Risk Plan as they are general Workforce risks for the organisation.
Conclusion
The Workforce 2020 highlights the key developments and changes required to achieve the future workforce and the achievement of the Healthfit vision. It details the core skills including enablement and using new technology as well as the significant development of collaborative relationships and new competencies.
Recommendation
The Board is requested to approve the Workforce 2020 and to accept that it will be used to develop the NHS Grampian Workforce Plan for 2013.
Background Papers
The key background papers are Healthfit 2020, the Health and Care Framework and the Staff Governance standards.
Executive Lead
Dr Annie Ingram, Director of Workforce
Gerry Lawrie
Head of Workforce & Development
May 2013
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