Allied Health Professions Learning Needs Analysis and Workforce Planning Workshop 7 th May 2010 Lesley Barrowman Senior Professional Officer

Learning Needs Analysis The HSC must have a workforce that is responsive, able to meet service needs. Individual practitioners must be able to demonstrate competence in their roles.

Learning Needs Analysis Flexible approach to learning and development Contribute to a strategic approach to learning and development activities Promote “learning cultures” within organisations Promote a structured approach to the learning needs analysis process

Learning Needs Analysis Learning and development activities should be designed to Support service development Support on-going and new role development Assist with the development of new competencies Develop knowledge base Meet professional development needs of individuals

Learning Needs Analysis Learning needs assessment is more likely to succeed and make a difference when it is... ‘owned’ by stakeholders and changes are implemented which bring about improvement in performance and practice. Furze and Pearcey (1999)

Learning Needs Analysis Learning needs analysis is a systematic way of gathering and interpreting information about the learning needs of an organisation or teams and individuals within an organisation. The learning needs analysis process should address short (one year), medium (two to three years) and long term requirements (five to seven years)

Learning Needs Analysis Assessment of need Planning learning activities Implementing learning activities Evaluating outcomes and effectiveness learning and development cycle

Learning Needs Analysis The process must take into account - The overall strategic developments of the HSCNI The overall service objectives of the organisation and how each part of the organisation contributes to this The competencies and skill sets required to meet service and departmental outputs The staff profile of each department to identify competencies and deficits and to plan the learning and development needs of staff

Learning Needs Analysis – External Influences Examples Government drivers and policies New developments in fields of practice Ombudsman reports RQIA reports

Learning Needs Analysis – Internal Influences Examples KSF requirements Clinical audit findings Critical incidents Patient satisfaction surveys Complaints

Issues that influence Learning Needs Analysis Business needs and objectives Planning of services Workforce planning and skill mix New role development and role expansion Job profiles to meet service needs Role descriptors and competencies of individual posts

Learning Needs Analysis – key questions What do we need? What do we have? How do we get there?

Assessment– local and organisational Develop a CPD culture Develop a work-based learning culture Promote flexible and innovative approach to learning and development Clear and systematic identification of learning and development needs of departments and individuals

Assessment at local level Analysis of staff profile Competency requirements of new or changed roles Annual appraisal/performance review of individuals - KSF Individual personal development plans

Planning and Delivering learning activities Clear description of required outcomes Use formal and informal learning activities Use creative and flexible approaches to meeting learning needs Maximise the use of in-house learning resources and experiential learning Line managers identify learning activity required for individual practitioners Make organisational decisions

Evaluate effectiveness Hold individuals to account for their learning and development Post-learning evaluations – students and managers Note improvements in individual’s practice and level of competence – formally or informally Service delivery outputs and targets Audits, patient complaints, patient satisfaction surveys and clinical incident reports Learning activity linked to performance improvement represents value for money

Learning Needs Analysis Assessment of need Planning learning activities Implementing learning activities Evaluating outcomes and effectiveness learning and development cycle