Valuing the Support Worker Role - Care, Commitment, Development
LEAD ORGANISATION
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
ADDITIONAL ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED
DATE
Completed August 2010
PROJECT SUMMARY
This project developed and validated new curriculum to form part of a new academic award pathway for mental health support workers within Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. The new curriculum was developed and written by the Trust in partnership with Thames Valley University, and the award was aimed at mental health support workers on NHS Bands 2, 3 and 4. The new award was intended to be an employer-led bespoke package to be offered to all support workers that would allow achievement of the required competences for Bands 2, 3 and 4 and would provide career progression within the Trust. The new provision forms part of an innovative tailor-made programme, the Aspire programme (A support worker programme instilling values, realising potential, embedding good practice).
An Introductory Award at Level 2, Certificate at Level 2 and Diploma at Level 3 was developed and accredited with OCN Credit4Learning. The provision for Bands 2 and 3 support workers, comprising the Introductory Award for new starters at these bands (to be undertaken following their NHS Corporate Induction) and the Level 2 Certificate, has now been launched. The award for the Band 4 role is still in development but is likely to be a Foundation degree with the option of a further year to convert to a full degree.
The impetus for the new award stemmed from a concern within the Trust that the existing NVQs were not meeting the learning needs of its mental health workers. Research carried out by the Trust revealed that there was no clear career pathway enabling progression through the bands, and also revealed a limited number of Band 4 support workers. Existing 'off the shelf' packages, such as the NVQ in Health and Social Care, were viewed as not meeting the requirements of the Trust and staff. Specific problems included a lack of mental health content, a lack of assessors and the requirement to demonstrate evidence of competence without incorporating sufficient learning. The objectives of the new provision were to deliver key learning at the beginning of employment, to include a work-based learning element and to be a flexible award, with the overarching objective of enabling support workers to be competent and confident in their roles.
IMPACT
The pilot of the Introductory Award and the Level 2 Certificate has just been launched as at May 2010 and the intention is to have 15 Trust staff enrolled on each. Robust evaluation of the award is planned to measure the impact and return on investment.
Potential for the Aspire programme being 'sold' to other NHS Trusts may be investigated once the Berkshire pilot is complete and a cohort of staff have successfully completed the programme. Initial presentations to the other mental health Trusts within the NHS South Central region have been received positively.