accessBuilding on SuccessWinter 2012/2013

Learning to make the system work better

ACCESS, the newsletter of the NES ACS Programme – supporting the people who make the system work.

Welcome to the Winter 2012 edition of ACCESS.

ACCESS is the newsletter for NHSScotland staff working in administrative, estates & facilities services. It provides information about the projects and resources being developed in the NES ACS Programme, all designed to support your learning at work.

It’s now 4 years since we published the first edition of ACCESS and this edition is dedicated to some of the people and projects we have worked with since 2008. In particular, we celebrate the success of staff who have participated in some of those projects or used ACS resources to help them develop in their work or further their career. Here is a taste of what we have inside:

Facilities Supervisors test out the new SVQ3 in Facilities Management

Staff in NHS Lothian and NHS Lanarkshire explain how the KSF Essentials course helped them complete their personal development plans and reviews (PDP/R)

A new series of case studies show how staff and managers are using the Administrative Core Skills Map to support learning and development in their Boards

We hear how ACCESS helped 2 administrators start their learning journeys – and how, now they have returned to learning, they are setting their sights high!

We also show how people are using The Admin Centre, the one-stop shop for work, learning and career resources for staff in administrative services – and preview the forthcoming Estates & Facilities Portal for staff in estates & facilities roles.

© NHS Education for Scotland 2012. You can copy or reproduce the information in this document for use within NHSScotland and for non-commercial educational purposes. Use of this document for commercial purposes is permitted only with the written permission of NES.

This year, we aim to reach more staff in administrative, estates and facilities roles than ever before. Interested in being involved? Here’s how….

Share your experiences and good ideas by writing an article for ACCESS.

If you have received an electronic copy of ACCESS, pass it on to a colleague – and encourage them to join our mailing list!

Contact us for hard copies of ACCESS Newsletter to share with colleagues.

We are always keen to hear your views about ACCESS. To contact us with feedback and suggestions or to request hard copies: e-mail: acs.project@nes.scot.nhs.uk Telephone Angela on: 0131 656 3234

Contents

Qualified in Facilities Management 3

A Degree of Experience 4

Manager’s Development Network 5

Coming Soon! The Estates & Facilities Portal 6

Spreading Good Practice 7

Making the most of The Admin Centre 8

Learning Experiences On Screen 10

Building on Evidence 11

Lessons from the Front LIne 12

Calling All Inspiring Leaders! 13

The ACS Programme goes International 14

The Stairway To Success 15

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Participants on the new SVQ3 in Facilities Management celebrate their success.

Qualified in Facilities ManagementEstates & Facilities Managers celebrate their success!

Contents

In the last edition of ACCESS, we featured a new qualification for managers and supervisors in estates and facilities roles.

The new SVQ 3 in Facilities Management has been designed to help individuals develop their knowledge and skills in managing a range of areas in facilities. From managing people to managing resources and processes, this work-based qualification enables participants to demonstrate how their management skills meet national standards.

Now, the first group of NHSScotland staff to complete the qualification are celebrating their success. The 18 managers and supervisors, drawn from the Estates & Facilities departments of 5 NHS Boards, were participants in a NES-funded pilot of the SVQ and received their certificates at a special event held at Edinburgh Telford College on October 10th. Congratulating the managers and supervisors on their achievement, NES Director of Educational Development, Professor Brian Durward, underlined the vital role that Estates & Facilities

staff play in delivering safe, effective and person-centred care. He also stressed the importance of helping managers learn and gain recognition of their management skills so that they can help to meet the needs of a changing service.

Elaine Pacitti of the ACS team explains why the pilot of the qualification was so important in helping staff to meet those needs: “The aim of the pilot was to examine how suitable the SVQ3 in Facilities Management is in preparing staff to take on the higher-level learning needed for more senior roles within Estates & Facilities Services in NHSScotland. The SVQ3 could provide an important stepping stone for staff whose learning, until now, has been primarily on the job. As a work-based qualification, the SVQ allows participants to show what they have learned in the workplace and it can start them on a learning journey to developing higher-level management skills. We know that, in a few years, many senior managers will be retiring from these areas of the service. Working with our partners in Health Facilities Scotland and in other NHS Boards, we are looking at ways

of providing opportunities for those in lower grades to develop the skills they need to progress in management. The SVQ3 could be one of those opportunities.”

And how useful has the qualification been to the supervisors and managers participating in the pilot? ‘We’re still working on the evaluation of the programme’, says Elaine, ‘but the initial feedback is very encouraging. We have been speaking to the participants and to their managers, and many of the reports are very positive. In particular, we are hearing a lot about the impact of the qualification on the individuals’ confidence in their own skills, their willingness to take on more responsibility and their feeling that they can make a difference.”

More information about the SVQ3 in Facilities Management can be found on the VQ Finder: http://www.vqfinder.nes.scot.nhs.uk/facilities-management-svq-3-sqa.aspx?jobFamily=Support%20Services

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The Autumn 2009 edition of ACCESS featured information about Edinburgh Napier University’s BA Business & Enterprise (BABE degree programme). This programme enables experienced administrators to gain a degree in business in less than 2 years. Allison Hall, a Project Officer with NES, decided to take the plunge. Here, she tells us about her learning journey.

that I am in tune with NES’s business strategies and core activities. Project Management is an essential part of my current role and this degree has provided me with the core principles of business and the ability to engage in more complex tasks. On a more personal note, I’m much more eager to support and encourage others as I know the benefits I have gained from my studies.

What were the best - and the worst - things about your learning experience?

I have nothing but good things to say about my learning experience - no bad things at all. I relished the opportunity to learn and grasped this with both hands. In doing this, I believe I gained the best possible experience. I wouldn’t hesitate to encourage other people to take this route to further learning. It was a very motivating and rewarding experience for me, especially when I received the class medal on the day of my graduation which was a complete but wonderful surprise!

And the future?

I’m very proud of what I have achieved so far, and plan to continue my studies in the not too distant future.

The course itself blended work-based learning with self study and the opportunity to attend lectures within the University, all of which were important to me. Going to lectures made me feel that I was able to take part in normal University life. I had never experienced this before and I found it enriching.

How did you cope with working and learning at the same time?

I chose my courses carefully, linking them into my work to enhance my learning, and worked hard to balance study and home life. I must mention the support and encouragement I received at home from my husband. He had completed a Masters programme and was well aware of the time and effort needed to succeed.

I was also really fortunate to have very supportive colleagues in my department. One mentored me and provided tremendous inspiration, while another helped me to review my work, and shared their knowledge and experience. Having colleagues who were willing to share their knowledge, time - and patience - was really important and much appreciated.

Has gaining your degree affected the way you work?

I strongly believe that my employer has a more educated and professional individual working for them now that I have undertaken this formal study. My confidence and abilities have grown so

Why did you decide to return to learning - and what made you choose this programme?

Like a lot of people working in administrative roles in NHSScotland, I had a lot of work experience but no professional qualification to provide proof of my skills. I had reached a stage where I felt that completing a degree would help me expand my knowledge and increase my confidence – and this would bring benefits to the team I work in and to our department.

I felt that the BABE programme would really meet my learning needs. It offered recognition of my existing skills, knowledge and experience, which was important to me, and meant that a shorter course was an option. The programme seemed fairly unique in its approach to the recognition of prior learning (RPL) and I liked the direction of Edinburgh Napier University in breaking this new ground.

Tell us a bit about the programme.

I completed the programme in 2 parts. I started by doing the ILM Level 5 Certificate in Leadership and Management, which I completed in 5 months. This was the ‘bridge’ which allowed me to enter the third year of the BA Business and Enterprise degree programme. This second stage took a year to complete. As a result I achieved my BA degree in just under 18 months, rather than the three years which a normal route would take.

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A Degree of Experience

Allison Hall receiving her degree certificate and class medal at Graduation.

Managers’ Development NetworkDo you manage people or services? Then the Managers’ Development Network is for you! Ali McPhail, Learning & Development Advisor at NES, describes what the Network offers and invites you to join.

a chance to network, helping individuals make contact with colleagues they may not come across in day-to-day work but who are facing similar challenges. Due to its inclusive nature, the potential size of the network is enormous and so we try to offer events that will cover a range of interests.

an online community: The MDN community webpage is host to some fascinating blogs, currently sharing the learning of two national

What can it support?

Professional managers and leaders

Alumni from leadership programmes

Managers and leaders from partner organisations

Improvement Leaders

Heads of Services

The Network is inclusive not exclusive to engage and connect individuals and communities at both local and national levels.

Benefits of Network A broad base of well-informed managers and leaders who understand National and Local policy and prioritiesA quick and effective way to identify, connect and engage managers and leaders

To engage and support Managers and Leaders throughout NHS Scotland to deliver sustainable quality

Advice and support

Access to database and communication tools

Dedicated website through the ‘knowledge network’

Communities of practice

Online ResourcesMentoring opportunities

Events designed to: develop skills, influence policy and share best practice

Signposting

Shared learning

Personal and professional leadership development

National and local leadership capability for quality improvement

National leadership capability to support policy implementation

Peer support

What is its Purpose? Who is it for?

What can members expect?

Strategic context

Leadership role

Personal qualities (“being”)

Serv

ice

obje

ctiv

es (“

doin

g”)

Role-specific knowledge & skills (“knowing”)

Servi

ce excellence

Future focus

trainees; discussion forums focusing on our reflections of MDN events and podcasts; information about other networks and sources of information as well as details of past and up-coming events.

What is the MDN – and who is it for?

The Managers’ Development Network (MDN) was set up to help managers across NHSScotland meet and work together, to share experience and to learn from each other. It has been designed as an inclusive network, bringing together managers from all areas of the service - any discipline, any grade, any Health Board – who may have limited access to other development routes. The Network supports individuals who have a management or leadership role to understand their work in the wider context of the NHS in Scotland, and to extend their personal development and skills.

The aims of the network are to:

provide opportunities for networking between professionals

provide opportunities for bite-sized learning

provide links to other sources of networking and learning

What does it offer?

The MDN offers a range of activities and resources for members of the network. These include:

a series of workshops, held in locations across Scotland and virtually: Each workshop offers managers from across the NHS

We welcome new and existing members to join the community space as a way of keeping your network alive. Please join us at: http://www.knowledge.scot.nhs.uk/mdn

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access to information and learning resources which can really help staff and managers in the workplace. The portal aims to gather in one place as many as possible of the key resources which staff in estates and facilities roles need to support their learning and development. From access to Health Facilities Scotland workbooks and information about induction standards through to links to a wide range of professional organisations and journals, the Estates & Facilities Portal will help support people at all stages in their careers.

A user-friendly site designed for busy people: Another requirement has been for something which is quick and easy to use – and which doesn’t require advanced IT skills or constant access to a computer. We aim to bring you as much information as possible simply at the click of a mouse, with the option to print pages so that you can read them later or share them with colleagues.

Resources tailored to your own area of the service: It can sometimes be hard to identify what parts of a website are relevant to you. The Estates & Facilities Portal aims to overcome this problem by having individual sections

In Winter 2012, the ACS Programme will launch a brand new website designed to support the work, learning and career development of staff working in Estates and Facilities services. But what exactly could the Estates & Facilities Portal do for you?

As many of the stories in this edition of ACCESS show, many staff working in Estates & Facilities services are keen to get involved in learning, development and helping to make the services they provide the best they can be. However, it can be difficult to find the information you need to help you achieve the goals you have set for yourself.

The new Estates & Facilities Portal has been designed to make this task easier. It provides a ‘one-stop shop’ of online information and resources tailored to the needs of staff in the different services which sit under the ‘Estates & Facilities’ umbrella. So what will that mean in practice? Here are just a few of the features of this forthcoming resource:

Relevant, useful information and resources: The site has been developed using the ideas and feedback from staff and managers across NHSScotland, and one constant request has been for

for different areas of the service. Wherever you work in estates or facilities services, you should find resources which are specific to your own area.

A site which develops to meet your changing needs: The ACS team is committed to making sure that the new portal helps you get to the information and learning resources which you really need. As part of this, we will be depending on feedback from those visiting or using the site to let us know how it can continue to improve to meet those needs. The Estates & Facilities Portal is due for launch at the end of 2012. If you receive an electronic copy of ACCESS, we will let you know when the site goes live.

If you would like us to let you know when the site goes live, please contact: acs.project@nes.scot.nhs.uk with your email address.

Remember, if you work in an administrative role in an estates and/or facilities department, visit The Admin Centre (www.theadmincentre.nes.scot.nhs.uk) for resources for administrators.

Coming Soon!The Estates & Facilities Portal

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Spreading Good PracticeThe role of Domestic Services staff in delivering person‑centred care

What results have you seen since making the change?

The changes started being effective right away. The biggest and most important benefit has been for the patients. They are receiving what they like to eat, which is important at any time but especially when their appetite is poor due to their illness. The patients’ relatives really like using it. They talk to their relatives about what they want to eat, fill in the menu planner, then I enter their choices on my PDA computer.

It also makes life a little bit easier for the housekeeping staff. We feel more confident that our patients are getting food they enjoy eating and the right portion sizes for them. It also means that less food is wasted.

Has the change resulted in any unexpected benefits for patients or for your team?

The visitors think this is a brilliant idea. It gives them something to focus on with their relative, lets them be involved in their care and gives them reassurance their relative is getting food they enjoy eating.

Like The Admin Centre, the new Estates & Facilities Portal will help to highlight how staff in support roles are helping to make improvements in the quality of healthcare services. In this short case study, housekeeper Margaret Snedden of NHS Forth Valley describes how she helped to make choosing meals easier for patients in a Care of the Elderly Ward.

Tell us a bit about the problem or opportunity which prompted this piece of work.

At Forth Valley General Hospital, patients receive weekly menu cards so that they can choose what they would like to eat for each meal. However, I realised that some of the elderly patients were finding it really hard to choose what they wanted to eat from the menu. Communication was sometimes difficult when patients were poorly or if they had additional difficulties, such as being hard of hearing or having poor eyesight. This resulted in patients sometimes getting meals they did not like. Also, as some of the patients have dementia, they would sometimes forget what they had ordered for each meal and would be a bit upset at receiving something that they thought was for another patient.

It was easier when patients’ families were there to help the patient make their choices but this could only happen at visiting times.

All of these situations meant patients did not always eat their meals. We all know what it feels like to lose your appetite when you are not feeling

well and I thought the difficulties with making selections from the menu just made the whole situation worse. It also contributed to a waste of food.

What did you decide to do?

At first, I spoke to the patients’ relatives when they were visiting and asked them to help by writing down the patient’s menu choices for the next couple of days on a piece of paper. Relatives know their family member’s likes and dislikes so are in a great position to help make sure their relative gets something they enjoy eating. The relatives would give me the piece of paper and I then entered the menu choices in my hand-held computer. This is used to place the meal orders with the production kitchen via the Wi-Fi system.

Then one day an elderly gentleman was transferred to my ward from another part of the hospital. He brought a weekly menu planner with him that had been completed by his daughter. It listed his meal choices for the coming week. She gave it to me and when I saw it I had a light bulb moment! This was just what I had been looking for!

How did you go about making the change needed?

I took the form to the Ward Sister who was in charge at that time to ask if we could try using it on our ward. She thought this was a good idea so agreed that we could start using it right away. I arranged to collect a blank version of the form, made photocopies and then we started to give the form to the patients’ relatives in the afternoon visiting time.

The ACS team would like to thank Margaret and her colleagues in service provider Serco for their help in preparing this case study.

A fuller version of this case study - including an update on how this idea has developed further - will be published on the forthcoming Estates & Facilities Portal.

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Margaret and the menu planners she helped introduce in her ward.

Don’t forget the HOME PAGE:● AnAthens Passwordisneededforsomeofthe

resourcesonthewebsite.Thepasswordallowsyoutouseresourcesyouwouldotherwisehavetopayfor.ClickonGet an Athens Passwordformoreinformationandtoregister.

● Wedependonyour feedbacktohelpusimproveTheAdminCentre.PleasetakeafewminutestocompleteThe Admin Centre Surveyandtoclickthe‘like’boxesonpageswhichyoulike!

Making the most of The Admin CentreSummer 2011 saw the launch of The Admin Centre, the online ‘one-stop shop’ for staff and managers working in administrative services across NHSScotland. Since then, the site has attracted a growing number of users every month. But, with so much information available on the site, how can you be sure that you are making the most of the resources which The Admin Centre has to offer? Here are some reminders of how the site can help support your work, learning and career development.

www.theadmincentre.nes.scot.nhs.uk

Click on the WORKING tab to find learning resources and information to help in your everyday work:● Needtoimproveyourminute-takingorletter

writingskills?Needtoknowmoreaboutmedicalterminology?ClickonCommunicationonthemenuforbite-sizedlearningandaccesstomedicaldictionaries.

● DoyouneedtoimproveyourExcelskills,useWordmoreefficiently,orlearnhowtouseanewoperatingsystemsuchasMicrosoftOffice10?ClickonInformation technology and information skillstoaccessMicrosofttutorials.

● Notsureabouttherulesgoverningthehandlingofpatientdata?Wanttoupdateyourrecord-handlingskills?ClickonHandling InformationtoaccessScottishGovernmentguidanceandforinformationabouttheHealthRecordsCertificateofTechnicalCompetence.

● Clickon‘Your role in national initiatives’toseehowdevelopmentsatanationallevellinktotheworkyou’redoing.

● How my job makes a differencegivesindividualsworkinginadministrativerolestheopportunitytoshowhowtheirrolehelpsNHSScotlandtodeliversafe,effectiveandperson-centredhealthcareservices.Whynotcontributebyemailing:acs.project@nes.scot.nhs.uk?

Click on the LEARNING tab to find information and resources to help you plan your own learning:

● AreyounewtoNHSScotland,orareyoumanaginganewrecruit?Learning and the KSFprovidesashortguidetopersonaldevelopmentplanningandreview(PDP/R)andStarting in your rolelinksyoutoinformationabouttheMandatoryInductionStandardsforHealthcareSupportWorkers.

● Wouldyouliketoreturntolearning–butfeelabitnervousabouttheprospect?ClickonSkills for learning tofindresourcestohelpyougaintheconfidencetostartstudyingagain.

● DoyoumanagepeopleorareyouaKSFreviewer?Identifying learningcanhelpyousupportyourstafftodeveloptheirpersonaldevelopmentplans(PDP),whileCoaching and Mentoringhasresourcestohelpyoudevelopyourownskillsinsupportinglearning.

● Wanttodevelopyourownmanagementskills?Clickon Improving your management skillsforlearningresourcesandinformationaboutawiderangeofdevelopmentprogrammes.

Click on the CAREERS tab to find out more about the wide range of professions which sit within Administrative Services in NHSScotland, and how to plan your own career pathway: ● Notsureifyouhavetheskillstotransfertoadifferentrole?ClickonReflecting on where

you areforguidanceonidentifyinganddescribingyourownskills.● Notsurewhatopportunitiestheremightbe–orwheretofindthem?ClickonKnowing

how to get thereforinformationaboutavenuesyoucanexploretohelpyouplanyourowncareer.

● AreyouinterestedinmakingyourcareerinoneoftheprofessionslistedinthisareaofTheAdminCentre?Clickonthename of a professional grouptotakeyoutoinformationaboutprofessionalbodies,qualificationsandjournalsrelevanttothatprofession.

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Visit:

Learning Experiences On ScreenIn Autumn 2009, ACCESS featured an article about a pilot project designed to help staff make the most of their KSF Personal Development Plan & Review (PDP/R). The KSF Essentials courses aimed to help staff understand the KSF profile for their role, how to gather evidence to show how they met the profile and how to identify learning for their PDP.

Between 2009 and 2011, the ACS team worked in partnership with the Workers’ Educational Association, Unison and NHS Boards to bring the courses to around 500 staff. Now, a series of short films is available featuring some of those who took part in the project talking about how they feel they have benefited from the courses. The ‘talking heads’ videos show a range of people from different backgrounds talking about what they learned from the courses.

They include:

Lorna Docherty, a domestic supervisor from NHS Lanarkshire, describing how she learned the importance of effective one-to-one PDP/R discussions with her staff;

Margaret Brolly, a welfare officer from NHS Lothian, talking about how the course helped her to gather appropriate evidence for her PDR;

Nikki Inglis, a lead waiting list co-ordinator from NHS Lothian, explaining how the PDP/R process has helped in her career progression;

Susan Dunne, the Deputy Director of Organisational Development at NHS Lanarkshire, describing how the KSF Essentials courses helped staff in her Board participate more effectively in the PDP/R processes.

The films can be used to help new recruits or new KSF reviewers understand the importance of personal development and review, and how they can make the most of PDP/R discussions.

To view the KSF Essentials film clips:

go to the Knowledge Network (www.knowledge.scot.nhs.uk)

click on the Learning and CPD tab

choose ‘Develop your career / Learning and the KSF’ from the menu on the page.

http://www.knowledge.scot.nhs.uk/home/learning-and-cpd/develop-your-career/learning--the-ksf.aspx

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Building on EvidenceTesting the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in NHSScotlandIn Spring 2010, ACCESS turned the spotlight on the recognition of prior learning (RPL), describing how individuals might use learning completed in the workplace to help them gain credit towards further formal learning. Now, a new NES project has been launched to see how staff and employers can make the most of learning which has been recorded but not formally certificated.

A lot of the learning which staff across NHSScotland undertake happens in and through work, and personal development planning and review processes (PDP/R) have been designed to plan and record this learning. However, when you enrol on formal qualifications, this evidence of learning is rarely taken into account. This lack of recognition can lead to duplication of learning and increased costs.

NES has now provided funding for five pilot projects within NHS Boards with the aim of developing transferable systems and processes for RPL in NHSScotland. Each project supports a group of staff who are working

towards an identified qualification. These qualifications include SVQs in Healthcare Support, HNC/D in Care and Administrative Practice and a degree in an estates-related area. Working with a project leader, staff will be asked to provide evidence of their learning drawn from sources such as their personal development reviews and workbooks completed in in-house learning programmes. They will then work with their project’s learning provider – usually a college or university - to identify if and how this evidence can be used to support RPL claims.

An important aspect of the pilot projects is that they focus on staff who may have had limited opportunities to complete formal qualifications, but bring with them a wealth of work experience. One example of this is the project in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, where a number of supervisors in the Estates department are being supported to use evidence of experiential learning to help them enter a degree programme.

Karen Adams of the ACS team is the project lead at NES. She explains: ‘There are many staff who have learned their skills – including management skills – on the job. However, more senior posts will often have a requirement for a particular level of qualification which those staff haven’t had the opportunity to undertake. This means that staff with considerable relevant experience may not be in a position to compete for these posts. We are hoping that, through the RPL projects, we will be able to test how individuals can use their evidence of workbased learning to support their own career development. We also hope that, through working in partnership with a range of learning providers, the pilot projects will support the development of processes and guidance to support all those involved in the RPL process – individuals, assessors, employers, learning providers and awarding bodies.’

For more information about the about the NHS RPL Pilot Project, visit the NES website: http://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/education-and-training/educational-development.aspx

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Making use of new resources and ideas is always easier if you have the chance to see examples of what others have done. In recent months, we have added two new sets of case studies to The Admin Centre, designed to show how administrative staff and managers are making use of ACS resources and how they are contributing to quality improvement.

Lessons from the Front LineNew case studies highlight the work of administrative services

Case Studies 1: Helping to improve the quality of services

The Winter 2011 edition of ACCESS introduced The Administrator’s Guide to the Quality Strategy and Quality Improvement. This short guide provides administrators across NHSScotland with an easy-to-use introduction to the Quality Strategy - the main policy driving changes in NHSScotland - and to the key principles of Quality Improvement.

The Guide is now supported by a series of case studies, each showing how an individual working in an administrative role has helped to introduce improvements in their area of the service.

Each case study provides a description of why the improvement was needed and the steps which the individual took to introduce it, along with some helpful tips for others who may wish to use the idea in their own area of the service.

There are 9 case studies, each highlighting an important service development. Examples include:

Health records manager Margaret Simpson of NHS Lothian describing how she and her team helped to streamline hospital admissions processes to reduce the waiting time for patients.

Case Studies 2: Using the administrative skills map to guide development

In 2010, we told you about the development of a ‘map’ of core skills required by administrators in NHSScotland. Working in partnership with a number of NHS Boards, the ACS Programme helped to identify sets of core skills required by administrative staff working at the same level, regardless of where they work in the service.

The aim of the core skills map project was to provide support for individuals and managers: to help them identify which transferable skills they have, and to see what core skills they might develop so that they could plan career progression. By linking all of the skills statements to the KSF, the map also provided support for the PDP/R processes, helping individuals and reviewers to see more clearly how the skills administrators need link to the KSF.

Between 2010 and 2011, a number of projects were set up to test the usefulness of the skills map. You can see the results of these projects in a series of case studies published on The Admin Centre.

Joanne Gibson, a practice manager in NHS Ayrshire & Arran, talking about the work undertaken by her team to help improve services for patients with learning disabilities.

Ashley Triebel, a team secretary with a Community Addiction Team in NHS Borders, describing the work undertaken by her team to help ensure that all appointments met the target of a maximum 3-week wait.

Lisa Welsh, a health records service improvement manager working in NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, describing how she worked with colleagues to develop systems for the safe and appropriate destruction of patient records.

All of the case studies, along with The Administrator’s Guide to the Quality Strategy and Quality Improvement, can be downloaded from The Admin Centre.

You can also access e-learning modules to help you learn more about Quality Improvement. Simply go to www.theadmincentre.nes.scot.uk, click on the ‘Working’ tab and choose ‘The Quality Strategy and Quality Improvement’ from the menu.

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The case studies show how the skills map was used to:

create a development programme for personal assistants in NHS Borders;

introduce an SVQ programme for administrative staff in NHS Dumfries & Galloway;

help NHS Lanarkshire improve effective IT skills through a programme of coaching;

help NHS National Waiting Times Centre create a development programme for administrative staff;

help NHS Western Isles redesign patient services and support KSF PDP/R discussions.

The case studies, along with the Administrative Skills Map, can be accessed via The Admin Centre.

Go to www.theadmincentre.nes.scot.nhs.uk, click on the Learning tab and choose ‘Core skills for administrators’ from the menu.

Calling All Inspiring Leaders! Opportunities to join the Management Training Scheme.

Did you know that NES runs a management training scheme (MTS)?

The aim of the scheme is to identify, recruit and develop a small number of individuals who have the potential to become senior managers within NHS Scotland and so make a long-term contribution to public services in Scotland.

For 2013, the focus of the scheme is on financial management and general management.

The three-year development programme, open to anyone with a degree in any subject, provides:

a comprehensive insight into all aspects of health improvement and healthcare delivery through national and local induction and orientation programmes.

management placements that will provide challenging opportunities to develop operational and strategic management and leadership competencies.

a Masters-level qualification, skill development and a personal development package to underpin experiential learning with academic knowledge.

a comprehensive package of support, particularly through mentoring, action learning and coaching, plus good line management.

We are especially keen to receive applications from current members of NHSScotland staff. For more information, check out the MTS website www.mts.scot.nhs.uk.

Closing date for applications is 7th January 2013, with a planned start date of August 2013.

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The medical secretaries and ACS team in Glasgow.

The medical secretaries take the opportunity to compare training in

Iceland and Scotland.

Stuart Cable, Deputy Director of NES Educational Development Directorate,

welcomes the Icelandic visitors.

The ACS Programme Goes International!

November 2012 saw the first international event for the NES ACS Programme, when 56 Medical Secretaries visited Scotland to find out what we are doing to support staff in Patient Services across NHSScotland.

This first study visit to Scotland was organised by Iceland’s two national associations for medical secretaries. Alerted to the work of the ACS Programme in Scotland by a colleague who was visiting NES to find out about training for pharmacists, visit organiser Sigríður Ástvaldsdóttir contacted the ACS team to find out more about the support available for those providing secretarial support for clinicians in NHSScotland.

The event provided the opportunity to compare the career and development opportunities for medical secretarial staff in Scotland and Iceland.

With a population of 320, 000, Iceland has in place a national training

programme for all people entering medical secretarial roles. This contrasts with the varying types of training undertaken by staff in similar roles working in different areas of NHSScotland.

However, like Scotland, clear career pathways for medical secretaries in Iceland were seen to be limited. As a result, the Icelandic visitors were very interested in hearing about NES’s work to support learning and career progression in the workplace. This included information about:

the Core Skills for Administrators project, designed to highlight the key transferable skills which all administrative staff have and how these might them move into different roles across the service.

The Admin Centre, offering support to meet a wide range of needs.

new resources to support effective information governance, including a new online learning programme developed by NES

The General Practice Managers’ Vocational Training Scheme, designed for practice managers in primary care settings.

The visit also included opportunities for networking between the Icelandic medical secretaries and a number invited to attend from NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde – and the chance for members of the ACS Team to learn a few words of Icelandic to wish the visitors ‘góð ferð heim’ (a good journey home)!

For more information about ‘Safe Information Handling’, the new online learning resource, visit http://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/education-and-training/educational-development/initiatives/safe-information-handling.aspx

For more information about the Practice Managers’ Vocational Training Scheme, visit http://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/education-and-training/by-discipline/medicine/general-practice/practice-manager-development/general-practice-managers-vocational-training-scheme.aspx

Page 14

The Stairway To Success: An Administrator’s Learning Journey

My name is Angela Bennett and I started working for NES in September 2009 as an Administrative Assistant in the Educational Development Directorate. My role includes supporting the team working on the ACS Programme.

In 2010, the opportunity arose for me to participate in an in-house learning programme in NES, aimed at developing administrative skills in the workplace. As I hadn’t studied formally for over 30 years, the prospect of undertaking any kind of formal training was more than a little daunting but I felt that this course was an ideal way to start.

The programme was split into two parts; the first consisted of ‘on the job’ learning using a workbook which guided me through each of the different learning points with exercises, research reading and small assignments; the second part was based on the more traditional classroom style learning.

I completed the programme in March 2011 and the confidence I gained from doing this motivated me into looking at taking a recognised qualification.

In June 2011, I enrolled on the SVQ Level 3 in Business & Administration.

At the beginning I was quite anxious and worried as to whether this was what I wanted to do. However, with the support of my assessor and line manager any doubts soon disappeared. The SVQ is a great way to start formal learning as it is a work-based learning qualification. I was able to choose units that were relevant to the work I do - organising meetings and events, minute taking and creating spreadsheets. I gathered evidence which was required to complete the units. This consisted of emails, written documents, observation statements from my SVQ assessor and work testimonies from colleagues. I even managed to use the workbooks I had completed on the previous course as evidence!

One of the most important factors about this approach to learning was that it was based so firmly on what I do in my day-to-day work. It allowed me to use what I would do normally, but encouraged me to think more deeply about why I was doing it, and how the work I do fits in with the work of the department as a whole. As a result, I could work through the qualification quite quickly but also see how I could help make improvements at work. I was really pleased when, in January 2012, I

completed the course and was awarded my first certificate.

When I first came to NES I never imagined starting on this journey and I am grateful for the support of my family, line manager and colleagues. The encouragement I received from everyone gave me the confidence I needed to take the first steps back into learning. So much so that, in September, I started an HNC in Administration & Information Technology. I am really enjoying the process and know that the skills and knowledge I have gained and continue to gain will help me develop in my role. I now feel more confident and able to participate and contribute more to the work of the ACS Programme and NES.

For more information about the SVQ3 in Business & Administration, HNC in Administration & Information Technology and other qualifications relevant to administrative staff, visit the VQ Finder:

http://www.vqfinder.nes.scot.nhs.uk/qualification-finder.aspx?jobfamily=Administration %20and%20Business

One important aim of ACCESS has always been to share stories about learning journeys to show how staff in administrative, estates and facilities services are using learning opportunities to develop themselves and their careers. So when a member of the ACS Team embarked on a learning journey of her own, it seemed too good an opportunity to miss!

Page 15

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Published Winter 2012

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