15. Not in your own time
Essex Branch
(R) That this meeting of RCN Congress asks Council to urge health employers to ensure that all mandatory training is undertaken in work time
Result
The resolution was passed.
For: 477 (98.55%)
Against: 7 (1.45%)
Abstain: 2
Debate report
Lucy-Leigh Schulz from the Essex Branch opened this debate about employers not protecting time for staff to undertake necessary mandatory training. “The NMC requires nurses to undertake 35 hours of learning activity relevant to their practice every three years,” Lucy-Leigh said. “But a recent NHS Employers survey showed that of the 100 trusts surveyed, 40 were no longer providing any external training for nursing staff.”
Lucy-Leigh urged Congress to raise their voices to ensure that mandatory training is provided during work time. All of the subsequent speakers agreed with resolution, with Margaret McCambridge from the UK Learning Representatives Committee insisting that “learning and development is not a concession that can be removed because budget budgets are tight”.
The debate revealed wide-spread concern about the volume of mandatory training in the form of e-learning. While speakers recognised some value in this form of training, they outlined problems with technology and resources in places of employment. Kevin Takooree from the Cheshire Branch told Congress that he feared that e-learning sometimes means that nursing staff are not reading the whole training syllabus.
Patricia Leung from the North West Inner London Branch reminded members that if training is mandatory, it is the responsibility of employers to provide the time for staff to complete it. “If this is not happening,” Patricia said, “you need to tell your stewards, so that we can challenge it on your behalf.”
The vote was passed with a 98.55% majority.
Background
In its 2010 general election manifesto, the RCN called for all nurses and health care support workers to receive protected training time to carry out continuous professional development (CPD). However, with training budgets under pressure, many staff are being forced to undertake mandatory training in their own time.
To satisfy registration requirements, nurses are required to undertake at least 35 hours of learning activity relevant to their practice every three years. Yet a recent Nursing Standard analysis (16 January 2012) revealed that in some parts of England, less than 1 per cent of training budgets had been spent on CPD for nurses.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) describes mandatory training as an essential principle that influences safety behaviour, promotes a positive health and safety culture, and leads to good health and safety performance.
Since the election of the coalition government in 2010, mandatory training in some areas – such as cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and moving and handling – has decreased. The RCN’s 2011 employment survey shows 65 per cent of respondents received CPR training compared to 80 per cent in its 2009 survey, while 68 per cent had received moving and handling training compared to 70 per cent in 2009. Meanwhile, training in health and safety increased from 62 per cent to 68 per cent, and infection control had grown from 60 per cent to 69 per cent.
However, anecdotal evidence indicates staff are being expected to undertake mandatory training in their own time and using their own IT. Furthermore, 29 per cent of those responding to the RCN’s 2011 employment survey stated they were unable to take time off for training.
A small number of foundation trusts have recently proposed policies that penalise staff for not undertaking mandatory training by withholding increments, and a significant number of these policies do not provide time off for training. Evidence also suggests staff on pay bands 1-4 have more difficulty accessing training than higher-graded staff.
In Scotland, the RCN’s 2011 parliamentary campaign manifesto asked that “training for all members of the nursing team that is essential or required by law should be done in work time, with cover provided”. This continues to be a key issue when lobbying boards and third sector organisations who are making changes to workforce or skill mix, because training and learning and development opportunities are often the first to be cut when efficiency savings are being made.
According to the health and social care staff survey published by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in 2010, less than half (47 per cent) of nurses in Northern Ireland believe there is strong support for training in their place of work. The RCN 2011 employment survey for Northern Ireland also found just 53 per cent of nurses have a personal training and development plan compared to a UK average of 63 per cent, while one-in-five nurses in Northern Ireland undertake non-mandatory training without their employer meeting the full cost, and one-in-twenty meets the full cost themselves.
References and further reading
Ball, J. And Pike, G. (2009) Past imperfect, future tense: nurses’ employment and morale in 2009, London: Royal College of Nursing and Employment Research Ltd. Available at: http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/271364/003545.pdf
(accessed 5/3/12).
Royal College of Nursing (2012) A guide to the learning and development pathway for RCN representatives April 2012 – March 2013, London: RCN. Available at: http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/433691/Prospectus_-_LD_pathway_for_reps_RED_Final_web.pdf (accessed 5/3/12).
Trewhitt, L. and Glenn, S. (2011) Views from the frontline: RCN employment survey 2011, London: Royal College of Nursing, Thomson Reuters and Incomes Data Services. Available at: http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/407242/004184.pdf
(accessed 5/3/12).
