Health and Care Research Wales
Support and Delivery
Job Shadowing Guidelines
Contents
1.What is job shadowing………………………………………………………….3
1.1Eligibility………………………………………………………………………….3
2.Why job shadowing?...... 4
2.1Gaining a new perspective……………………………………………………..4
3Who is involved in job shadowing?...... 5
3.1The line manager………………………………………………………………..5
3.2The host………………………………………………………………………….5
3.3The shadow……………………………………………………………………...6
3.3.1The job shadowing experience………………………………………………..6
3.3.2Evaluation………………………………………………………………………..7
4Job shadowing application form: shadow…………………………………….8
4.1Job shadowing application form: host………………………………………...9
4.2Job shadowing evaluation form: shadow/host………………………………10
5Job shadowing opportunities………………………………………………….12
6Job shadowing process chart…………………………………………………20
1What is job shadowing?
Job shadowing has many potential benefits for support and delivery staff within Health and Care Research Wales. It can help improve communication and understanding, establish interaction and support self-development.
Support and Delivery within Health and Care Research Wales is committed to encouraging, supporting and delivering training and development across the Support and Delivery infrastructure. This applies to anyone considering undertaking job shadowing for career development, improving team/function understanding, sharing best practice and understanding processes.
Job shadowing is where an individual from one area of the infrastructure has the opportunity to observe and gain experience of the role of another individual, at the same time gaining an insight into that particular work area.
These guidelines will help to ensure that job shadowing benefits both those observing and the team/function being observed to gain mutual understanding.
1.1Eligibility
Any member of staff working within the Support and Delivery element of Health and Care Research Wales is eligible to access the shadowing initiative. This includes all NHS R&D offices, including the research delivery teams and the Support Centre.
As a guide, it is not expected that any member of staff undertakes more than one shadowing opportunity a year.
2Why job shadowing?
2.1Gaining a new perspective
Job shadowing has many potential benefits for Support and Delivery staff:
- it can help improve communication across Support and Delivery and encourage continuous improvement;
- it is an excellent networking tool and can help break down barriers across the infrastructure through better understanding;
- it is an opportunity to share best practice and allow for the self-development of the observer/guest, and potentially the host;
- it allows the individuals to look at processes they may be involved in from a different angle.
Job shadowing is a unique opportunity to see how other staff work and what their roles involve, providing a deeper knowledge and understanding of Support and Delivery. By engaging in job shadowing individuals will:
- see how other staff and teams work;
- gain insight into the roles and responsibilities of other members of staff and other teams/departments/functions;
- be able to reflect and learn from others;
- see the bigger picture and understand more of how the organisation operates.
For the individual being shadowed there is the opportunity to share experiences with colleagues from a different work area to their own, to be able to review and reflect on their own work by seeing their role through ‘fresh eyes’ and to understand how what they do fits into the wider research endeavour.
3Who is involved in job shadowing?
3.1The line manager
As part of the Performance Appraisal and Development Review (PADR) process, individuals may discuss job shadowing as either a way of developing their current role or as part of an induction programme. The line manager will discuss and agree the job shadowing and time allowed to complete it, then together they can decide the best host for this request. The shadowing can then be arranged once the application form is completed and sent to the Training and Development team within the Support Centre.
Things to consider:
- line managers should ensure that the job shadowing request is relevant to the shadow’s work or development;
- that it fits in with their/the team’s current workload;
- that the potential benefit outweighs the time spent out from their contracted role;
- that all team members are receiving equal access to job shadowing opportunities;
- that the information and skills gained from the experience are transferred back into the workplace.
After the job shadowing placement, line managers should ask:
- How did the placement meet its purpose and the objectives discussed at PADR?
- Were there any specific objectives that were not met?
- How do they plan to use the learning going forward in their role?
- How will the individual share their shadowing experience and knowledge with their own workplace team?
3.2The host
This is the team/person agreeing to be shadowed. This role involves preparation and thought as it is not about having someone follow you around for the allotted time. It must be planned and consideration given to the team- is this a good time for the shadowing to take place?
Please see shadowing opportunities and guideline section starting page 12
Please:
- consider how long the shadowing period should be;
- assess the purpose for shadowing following the request and the objectives of the shadowand identify any areas of specific interest;
- identify any areas or information you will not be able to share and explain why;
- arrange any necessary permits, access, other considerations including desk/ computer access as necessary and a place to talk;
- inform your team that the shadow will be with you on the specified day and share the purpose and objectives of the shadowing experience request;
- inform the shadow and their line manager promptly if the job shadowing has to be cancelled for any reason.
Once the shadowing has been agreed, ask the shadow what they already know of the host, to ensure an effective experience and encourage them to take notes during the session. Potentially some of the information learned during the job shadowing may be confidential and so this must be explicit in the shadowing agreement.
The experience of both parties must reflect the objectives of the job shadowing, and those objectives being achieved. There should not be any negative reports detrimental to the person being shadowed or their colleagues.
Prepare the job shadowing accordingly to ensure the job shadow gains a full insight into the role and responsibilities of the team/person/function being shadowed.
3.3The shadow
3.3.1The work shadowing experience
In preparation the shadow should:
- provide their host with an outline of their expectations/objectives for the shadowing period and include their current knowledge base/awareness of the host team;
- prepare questions and familiarise themselves with the role/function of the person/team being shadowed;
- ensure work colleagues are aware of their absence and that workload is covered;
- make sure the host is informed if absence is unavoidable and the job shadowing cannot take place.
During the experience the shadow should:
- be conscious they are a guest in that area for the shadowing period, show tact and discretion at all times;
- maintain confidentiality at all times;
- provide the host with feedback on their experience;
- provide a reflection of the job shadowing experience within their personal development folder/PADR.
3.3.2Evaluation
At the end of the shadowing experience it is important that the shadow reflects on what they have learned and discusses the success of the job shadowing with their line manager:
- The main things learned from the experience, were the objectives met?
- Were any objectives not met?If so how can this be achieved?
- How can the lessons learned help you in your role?
- Was the experience what you expected?
- Has the shadowing identified any further areas for development?
- Agree a mechanism to disseminate the information gained to the shadow’s work colleagues.
The host will also be required to complete an evaluationform (page 10) on the shadowing, these forms will be collected and collated by the Support Centre Training and Development team for evaluation.
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4Work shadowing application form: Shadow
First name: / Last name:Work base: / E-mail:
Telephone:
Role/Job title:
Team/function/person requested to be shadowed:
Please state the purpose of the shadowing request i.e. what is the desired intent?
Objectives for this experience:
To be completed by the shadow’s line manager:
I support the above member of staff’s participation in the job shadowing scheme and have discussed this with them:
Name of line manager:
Signature of line manager:
Date:
5Work shadowing application form: Host
First name: / Last name:Work base: / E-mail:
Telephone:
Role/Job title:
Person requesting to shadow your team:
Host preparation for thisexperience i.e. when, where, who will be involved and what is to be put into place to make the experience complete and relevant:
To be completed by the host line manager/team/function manager:
I support the above member of staff’s participation in the job shadowing scheme and have discussed this with them:
Name of line manager:
Signature of line manager:
Date:
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6Job shadow evaluation form: Shadow / Host (please delete as necessary)
Name: / Job title:Team/Function:
Name of shadow: / Date of shadowing:
What were the objectives of the shadowing?
Were these objectives fulfilled? What lessons were learned?
What did you enjoy about the experience?
How could your experience have been improved?
What benefits do you think the organisation and your team could gain from this experience?
How will you feedback to your line manager and team?
Has this shadowing highlighted any future development or training needs?
Any other comments:
All forms to be returned to:
Training and Developmentteam
Health and Care Research Wales Support Centre
2nd Floor
Castlebridge 4
15-19 Cowbridge Road East
Cardiff
CF11 9AB
Email:
7Job Shadowing Opportunities
7.1 Commercial
Shadowing Opportunity: Gain an understanding of how commercial feasibilities are assessed, distributed and how progress is tracked.
Description: The shadow will spend time with the Senior Industry Manager within the Support Centre to understand how feasibilities are assessed and how they are distributed to Health Boards and trusts across Wales. They will also gain an insight into how the progress of a feasibility is tracked and ultimately how this can lead to a research site being selected to run a commercial research study.
Learning Outcomes: Through the use of a live example feasibility, the shadow will be given the opportunity to assess feasibility information (including a research protocol) and look at the requirements for running a particular study. The shadow will gain an understanding of the importance of performing accurate and timely feasibility and how this impacts Wales in terms of “winning” commercial research. The shadow will also learn how commercial research can give patients access to new and improved drugs, and also mean that researchers are able to receive an income which can be used to build research capacity.
Duration: 2 hours
7.2 Primary Care
Shadowing Opportunity: Gain an insight into Primary Care Research and the Primary Care Research Incentive Scheme (PiCRIS).
Description: The shadow will spend time with the Primary Care Research Manager to gain a general understanding of primary care research and how PiCRIS is managed to help support and incentivise GP practices to take part in research.
Learning Objectives: The shadow will gain an understanding of primary care research, how this fits into the Health and Care Research Wales landscape and the support available to help increase the capacity for primary care research.
Duration: 1.5 hours
7.3 Public Involvement & Engagement
Shadowing Opportunity: To gain an understanding of the value of public involvement (PI) throughout the whole research cycle, what researchers require from PI, how this is communicated to the public and how the Support Centre supports the public and the researchers to facilitate meaningful PI
Description: The shadow will spend some time discussing the function, gaining a variety of hands on experience by: reviewing an opportunities requirement form and drafting a lay friendly advert / drafting a weekly bulletin to the Involving People Network / drafting an EOI to an advert/ writing a newsletter article
Learning Outcome: The shadow will gain an insight into the importance of PI, how PI is facilitated for the researcher and the public and the importance of communicating to the public appropriately.
Duration: 3 hours
7.4 Permissions Service
Shadowing Opportunity: To gain an understanding of the role/ remit of the Health and Care Research Wales Permissions Service in the NHS research permission process and the service’s working relationships with other key stakeholders.
Description: The shadow will spend time with a Permissions Service Coordinator/ Manager within the Support Centre at either the Permissions Service Brecon or Cardiff office.
Learning Outcome: The shadow will gain an understanding of the role of the Permissions Service through observation and practical experience. The shadow would:
- Receive an overview of who the Permissions Service team are and how NHS research permissions work across the UK.
- Observe the administration role, i.e. managing the Permissions Service inbox, processing emails, registration of new studies. Depending on current work, this could include some hands on experience of creating a study record in ReDA Cymru and uploading study documents to the record.
- Observe the coordinator role, i.e. managing a study undergoing review, managing study amendments, handling NHS research permission queries. Depending on current work, this could include some hands on experience in reviewing a study or managing a study amendment.
The observation will be supplemented with standard operating procedures and work instructions.
Duration: 3.5 hours
7.5 Research Directory
Shadowing Opportunity: To gain an understanding of how studies are adopted onto the Clinical Research Portfolio and the wider impact of study adoption
Description: The shadow will spend time with the portfolio team within the Support Centre to understand how studies are assessed against eligibility criteria and adopted onto the CRP.
Learning Outcomes: Through the use of a live example study, the shadow will gain an understanding of the eligibility criteria for the CRP and how these are applied to studies; gain insight into the support and advice that is available to researchers and the wider impact of how the CRP supports the R&D funding and performance monitoring processes centrally.
Duration: 3.5 hours
7.6 Research Funding
Option 1:
Shadowing Opportunity: To gain an understanding of how the Excess Treatment Cost and Support Costs budgets are managed by the Support Centre
Description: The shadow will spend time with the funding team within the Support Centre to understand how applications for ETC and SC are processed, assessed and these budgets managed
Learning Outcomes: Through the use of a live example application, the shadow will gain an understanding of the whole process for managing the ETC and SC budgets and gain insight into the support and advice that is available to researchers
Duration: 3.5 hours
Option 2:
Shadowing Opportunity: To gain an understanding of how costs are attributed for Health and Social Care Research and Development and the impact of correctly attributing these costs
Description: The shadow will spend time with the Senior Research, Funding and Portfolio Manager within the Support Centre to understand how to identify, attribute and recover various costs associated with research in the NHS, in a transparent, robust and consistent manner.
Learning Outcomes: Through the use of a live example research protocol, the shadow will gain an understanding of the whole process of ‘Attributing the costs of Health and Social Care Research & Development’ (AcoRD) and how the costs are identified and attributed as a research, treatment or support costs and gain insight into the wider benefits for undertaking this exercise.
Duration: 3.5 hours
7.7 Performance Monitoring
Shadowing Opportunity: To gain an understanding of how the Support Centre performance monitors NHS organisations against the key indicators set by Welsh Government
Description: The shadow will spend time with the performance monitoring officer within the Support Centre to understand how the process of performance monitoring is managed
Learning Outcomes: Through the use of tools such as quarterly performance reports, the shadow will gain an understanding of the whole process for performance monitoring NHS organisations including understanding the data sources and timescales for this process
Duration: 2 hours
7.8 Information Services
Shadowing opportunity: To gain an understanding of the role of the Information Service in supporting the development of information systems and requests for research information from across Health and Care Research Wales.
Description: the shadow will spend time with the information team within the Support Centre to understand key areas of work and essential processes in managing information systems.
Learning outcomes: Information Service work is varied and the shadow will gain insight into coordination and support for the development and testing of changes to information systems and services; provision of research information systems training; preparation of routine information reports. We are able to offer tailored shadowing opportunities for those wishing to understand more about the services that the Information Team provides.
Duration: 2.5 hours