2 Cutting back on basics?
Matter for discussion submitted by the RCN Exeter Branch
That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses the impact of NHS modernisation on essential training and education of health care staff
- Work led by the Nursing Development Committee with input from the Membership, Representation and Diversity Committee
- Lead RCN Council member: Marcia Turnham
This issue was raised at Congress following concerns about the cutbacks in access to continuing professional development, brought about by the withdrawal of funds from education and training budgets in an attempt to clear financial deficits within the NHS. As a result, access to essential training courses on issues such as infection control had suffered.
The discussion centered around the belief that the removal of ring-fencing for NHS education budgets had destabilised the training and education provision provided by education and training departments in PCTs, acute trusts and the independent sector. It was noted that access to such provision was essential for health care staff, in order to prepare them to work effectively in different health care settings and ensure a high level of patient care, as well as supporting their professional registration. It was also acknowledged that health care staff access to appropriate training and education is an explicit requirement under the terms and conditions of Agenda for Change, and is implicit within the Knowledge and Skills Framework in supporting continuous professional devlopement and lifelong learning.
Following the discussion at Congress, a working group was set up and developments have built on work already undertaken within the RCN relating to the access to, and quality of, continuing professional development. This has resulted in the publication of A joint statement on continuing professional development for health and social care practitioners (available from www.rcn.org.uk/publications). To date, this has been endorsed by 14 allied health professions organisations. Its purpose is to influence health and social care employers, UK-wide health and social care policy makers, and also to facilitate the workforce modernisation agenda. The statement is based on the belief that, as health professionals, nurses must keep their skills up-to-date and have access to opportunities to learn new techniques in order to benefit the patients in their care. In addition, that a lack of a concommitant long term and strategic view of funding for nurse education creates a vicious circle, for both practice and the higher education sectors.
The discussion at Congress also centred on the importance of education and training in information technology, and the need for nurses to be adequately prepared for practice in the e-health environment. This work is being taken forward by the RCN Information in Nursing (IN) Group.An e-Health workshop with members from the IN Group, Education Forum and Association of Nursing Students and RCN staff took place in January 2008. The workshop aimed to deliver RCN policies on e-Health and also to develop web-based guidance and learning opportunites on e-Health including record keeping. This work is currently being taken forward.