1. Quality Assurance

2. Identified Benefits that the Core Skills Programme is expected to Deliver 1.Increased efficiency in the delivery of Core Skills Training 2.Reduced organisational /institutional costs for delivery of Core Skills Training 3.Prevent duplication of Core Skills Training 4.Improved consistency and quality for Core Skills Training 5.Enable local subject matters to focus more on targeted training/risk interventions 6.Increase compliance level with expected national quality standards 7.Increased productivity at time of employment/placement 8.Increased learner understanding and appreciation of the purpose and value of Core Skills Training

3. Quality Assurance Model Self Assessment Engagement & Collaboration Educational Resources and Tools Quality Principles Monitor and Audit

4. Importance of self assessment: Organisations will be best placed to assess how they meet the required standards. Self assessment and regulation will be the main mechanism in which an organisations assures itself the framework and based upon self – assessment actively addresses any required developments needed to ensure alignment. The focus will be on providing tools that will help organisations undertake any self assessment. Included in system management quality expectations: Features as a component of any current and future North West system management and commissioning quality expectations i.e. Learning Development Agreement and any Educational Monitoring Visits and thus also aids unnecessary burden. Impact orientated: Focus on the use of QA measures that help towards measuring the impact that the use of the Core Skills Framework is having. Collaboration for shared co-developments: Through shared expertise and organisational collaboration support shared developments so that the benefits of the CSF are maximised for the greater system good. Continuous improvement; The Core Skills Framework is an initial development and with confidence of organisation can be further extended into other common areas. The focus will be to encourage a shared commitment to continuous improvement to help embed and further develop the concept and utility of the CSF approach. Quality Principles

5. Working towards Alignment There is a nominated Senior Organisational Lead The organisation registers it intent of working towards Core Skills Framework Undertakes the Readiness Assessment and put in place actions to meet any gaps Undertakes Content Mapping Exercise and put in place actions to meet any gaps Reviews and put in place mechanisms for CSF data reporting and naming conventions Planning use of the Skills Register Organisation is Aligned There is a Senior Organisational Lead The organisation formally declares that all readiness assessment and content mapping completed. The organisation confirms that data reporting mechanisms in place. The organisations has reviewed it Induction programmes for alignment with the Core Skills Framework. There is a nominated administrator for Core Skills Register The organisation has agreed to the Data Sharing Protocol Organisations undertakes any agreed audit processes Self Assessment Organisations provided with support and guidance to undertake self assessment to plan and support alignment with the Core Skills Framework

6. Organisations involved in agreeing the commissioning and design of any resources/tools for supporting implementation of the Core Skills Framework. Core educational resources reviewed on at least an annual basis by the nominated education provider. A log will be maintained for receiving and detailing any feedback received on the resources and advising any recommended changes to be made. There is significant evidence of participation by local Subject Matter Experts in the revision and further development of any resources. Any new resources are revised within an agreed time scale and new versions shared via established mechanisms (Core Skills Framework Website and Regional server). The information provided to organisations detailing how to access the available resources will be maintained. A register will be kept detailing which resources are being used by organisations. Organisations adapting resources will be required to share details of any changes made. Educational Resources and Tools There will be shared commissioning of educational resources and tools to support alignment and delivery of the Core Skills Framework

7. The framework/programme focus will be reviewed on an annual basis and with relevance to any other national/regional developments any recommendations proposed for revision/updating. Organisations will be informed of the formal means in which they can engage with the North West Core Skills Programme. A stakeholder forum will be maintained and a programme of events published Organisations awareness of communication methods related to the North West Core Skills Framework will be assessed every 6 months and actions put in place to respond to any findings. Organisations will be involved in agreeing the focus and priorities for any new developments, with these priorities then being shared with the relevant leadership /stakeholder forums to ensure broad support and enable success for any case for resource allocation Organisations will be invited encouraged to nominate the involvement of relevant staff to participate in task and finish groups set up help shape the further development of the framework and related programme of activities. Formal sign off of any programme plans and final resource allocation will be made by the North West Core Skills Programme Board. Engagement and Collaboration Organisations will be directly involved in shaping the Core Skills Framework and directing further developments.

8. An agreed programme performance dashboard will be available and updated on a monthly basis. Organisations will be involved in determining the priorities for audit and the mechanisms to be used. To monitor alignment with the Core Skills Framework. Wherever possible any audit will involve evidence collected from learners and those organisational staff who are expected to benefit from the implementation of the North West Core Skills Programme. Organisations who are classed as aligned to the Core Skills Framework will need to complete and publish an annual audit of alignement The results of any monitoring audit will be shared through the Programme website, stakeholder forums and publication of case studies. Any findings emerging from any audits undertaken and reported will be used to inform the further focus of the North West programme of work and design of any supporting programme resources. Monitor and Audit The implementation of the North West Core Skills Programme will be actively monitored and organisations involved in designing and utilising the agreed monitoring and audit approaches.

9. Performance Dashboard Number o Number of Organisations working towards Alignment Number of organisations CSF Aligned Number of Education Providers Working towards Alignment Number of Education Providers Aligned Number of Organisations utilising educational resources Estimated level of duplication avoided Level of engagement of organisations in supporting developments The following metrics will form the main dashboard measures:-