Modernising Scientific Careers – Early Adopter Experience Mike Palmer – MSC Project Manager, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Modernising Scientific Careers Update Key documents: “Modernising Scientific Careers: The UK Way Forward” “Modernising Scientific Careers: The England Action Plan” “Modernising Scientific Careers: The England Action Plan Impact Assessment”

Early Adopters  England Action Plan (Chapter 6) signalled trusts would be given the opportunity to be early adopters.  MSC Champions, translating MSC from the pages of documents and slides into reality.  Application submitted taking a collaborative approach involving Pathology, MEMD, Audiology, Cardiorespiratory & Vascular and Clinical Illustration.

Summary of Expectations  Demonstrate benefits of MSC.  Identify contribution of HCS to QIPP challenge.  Take MSC students for work place based training.  Establish the new training infrastructures.  Update ESR, map the current workforce and demonstrate how reprofiling the workforce can be achieved.  Describe the roles HCS will be able to undertake in the future (assistant to consultant scientist level).  Explore the issues surrounding transition.

Where did we start? Project infrastructure:  Establish Project Lead and Steering Group.  Scoping exercise, PID and project plan, risk log etc.  Key workstreams: Training & Education. Workforce Development.  TOR.  Clear aims and objectives.

Factors to consider  Benefits to our organisation: Influence the national programme. Opportunity to link into group of organisations which will take the first steps to transform the scientific workforce, sharing information. Opportunity to link the healthcare science professions together and share good practice. Support from the SHA / DH to progress and deliver. Put SFH, scientific services and scientists on the map. Rationalised education and training schemes. Structured career pathways with a more effective skill mix.

Factors to consider (cont.)  Risks: Time, funding etc. Impact on current trainees and programmes. Reluctance of HEIs to be involved. National agenda e.g. issues with regulation. Uncertainty of the outcomes of changes to PCTs, commissioning arrangements etc. Local QIPP initiatives / pathology modernisation. Etc.

Factors to consider (cont.)  Engaging appropriate people: HCS leads. Engage with HCS staff. Project sponsor and engagement with EMB. Workforce modernisation / HR. SHA leads. Staff side representation. Current trainees. Other early adopters (develop network to share ideas, problems etc.

 Project support / resources: Protected time. Establish Project Support Officer role. Funding. HR Support / engage ‘expertise’. DH and SHA. Factors to consider (cont.)

 Communication strategy/staff engagement: - key to success! Presentations. Staff bulletin. Intranet site. Involvement of staff on workstreams. Staff side representation on steering group and workstreams. Project Manager – link between Steering Group, workstreams, DH/EA sites etc. Highlight reports. EA network site. Monthly EA meetings. Factors to consider (cont.)

 Scope existing situation: Baseline training information (current training schemes, number of trainees, training capacity etc.). Who are our healthcare scientists? How many do we have? Update and cleanse ESR / Provisional mapping. Factors to consider (cont.)  Establish priorities e.g. Develop cohesive HCS workforce plan. New roles – assistants etc. Evolution of work based training e.g. New QCF qualifications, PTP, STP. Engagement with Primary Care.

Current training activity Lots of training activities already going on – NVQs, Foundation Degrees, BSc, MSc etc. Ideal opportunity to share good practice, expertise and rationalise training programmes

Provisional profile of current healthcare science workforce

Work in progress  Cohesive HCS workforce plan.  Benchmark HCS workforce profiles.  Generic JDs and KSF profiles for HCS.  Promote awareness of HCS.  Apprenticeships / new QCF qualifications.  Preparations for new PTP and STP students – work based training, quality assured placements.

The End Thank you for listening ? Questions