30,000 workers in project to strengthen North's health sector
More than 30,000 health workers in the North East are involved
in an ambitious project to use the UK's leading business
improvement tool to strengthen the sector through its people.
Latest resluts at the Healthcare 100 awards support this
approach with the top 3 using Investors in People and the winner
having maintained their recognition for over 10 years.
The North East Strategic Health Authority and a number of NHS
Trusts have engaged with Investors in People North East to build on
the existing continuous improvement strategies with a specific
focus on efficiency, health and well being at work and skills
development.
Some of the trusts leading the way include Northumberland, Tyne
and Wear NHS Trust; Tees, Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation
Trust; South of Tyne and Wear NHS Primary Care Trusts (a cluster of
3 PCT's working together) and NHSBSA. In addition, there are 100
people employed by the Strategic Health Authority itself which has
a budget of £1.1b.
The Trusts are taking on Investors in People at a time of major
changes and growing demands in the sector when efficiency,
performance and the retention of talented staff are increasingly
important. The North East is helping to lead the way with more than
30% of health sector workers in Investors in People organisations
compared with only 18% nationally but it is expected that the new
strategy will provide the opportunity for every NHS employee in the
region to work for an organisation who invests in their future.
Rob White, Profile Manager of the Strategic Health Authority,
said "We are a people centred organisation and passionate about
developing them. We really value the talent, commitment and energy
of the staff we have here and we want to encourage and support them
in the best way possible. Investors in People helps us to do
that and it is important that we not only do this internally but
also support other NHS organisations in the region to do the
same."
David Lane, Specialist Adviser with Investors in People North
East, has been delighted by the enthusiastic response from the
health sector.
"The region already has more than a third of organisations of
all types and sizes working with Investors in People and we are
delighted to be in a position to support them with key challenges
they are facing - this is what Investors in People was
designed for.
"We have been working with trusts, surgeries and homes to
identify strengths and any potential areas for development.
Obviously, there are differences but this is a concerted and
committed approach from the top down. The health sector covers such
a massive range of jobs and skills and this is about developing the
entire workforce.
"Investors in People gives every employee a voice and a chance
to develop, making working life easier and more effective. Within
the project the NHS organisations are currently
utilising Investors in People in helping them to implement the
key principles outlined in the 'NHS Constitution'. Efficiency,
improvement and cost-effectiveness are all-important and working
together means that good ideas and practices can be shared. There
is already a considerable amount of in-house mentoring, coaching
and training within the region's NHS but the addition of
our Investors in People programme will structure it and ensure
maximum impact on performance."
"The Investors in People Standard builds on the existing
continuous improvement strategies in place within the NHS and has
been recognised by the Healthcare Commission in supporting their
regulatory framework. It is the next logical step for the sector to
achieve its aims."