Professional development

Training and support for clinical and non-clinical staff

We recognise that it is important that our staff have the appropriate level of knowledge, skill and ability to be able to provide good care to all our patients.

It is with this in mind that we have developed a whole range of training and support for both clinical and non-clinical staff to ensure that they are able to continually develop and grow within their role.

Currently our strategy is to provide excellent education and training for our own staff so they are equipped to do their jobs well, and so we can meet the recommendations set out in the DOH Trust, Assurance and Safety white paper. Here are examples of what we have achieved to date.

Healthcare Assistant Development Programme

We reviewed the role of our HCA in the nursing service to determine what knowledge and skills they needed to be able to do their job well and work independently in a patient’s home.

From this we developed a code of conduct for them and a competency based development programme. Our Healthcare Assistant Development Programme has been accredited as a BTEC National Diploma called Delivering Effective Palliative Care.

The HCA development programme is a blended learning approach that uses multimedia, workbooks, face to face sessions, online learning, skills labs etc so we can reach all of our staff no matter where they live in the UK.

The programme also helps us to meet regulatory requirements. Fifty per cent of HCAs working in the nursing service in England are required to have a NVQ level 2 or above. In Wales this also applies to HCAs working in our hospice.

So our HCAs can obtain a NVQ we use A1 Assessors to assess their work on the programme and for them to undertake at least two practice assessments.

This then allows us to APEL parts of the content and sufficient evidence so they meet the requirements to be awarded a NVQ level 3 in Health and Social Care.

We have also become a NVQ centre and train our own A1 Assessors to support our HCAs undertaking the HCA Development Programme.

Communication programme

We have also developed a competency based communication programme which covers four levels of learning. This programme uses a blended learning approach so we can reach more people.

We deliver levels one, two and three through our annual learning programme.

Level one is generic so that it meets the needs of any staff or volunteers that comes into contact with patients regardless of their role.

Level three is more specific and focuses on the needs of clinical staff.

Level four deals with advanced communications and we access the national programme developed by Suzie Wilkinson and Marie Curie Cancer Care for staff needing this. (note: Kathy Heaven leads the new National programme).

Again this was developed to meet the needs our staff and is also a blended learning approach.

Learning events

We also have an annual programme of study days and courses in locations across the UK. These offer a wide range of topics such as:

• Training to be a Clinical Supervisor
• Loss, grief and bereavement
• Managing complex symptoms

Clinical skills online resources

These sites are being developed so staff can access information and update sessions as and when they need them.

They are an online resource that is available at all times within our online classroom, Learn and Develop @ Marie Curie Cancer Care, and is based on self-directed study.

Resources are designed predominately for staff providing care to patients and many of these sessions involve an assessment at the end. Topics covered include:

• Infection control in the community
• Oral care
• Syringe driver updates

Round-the-clock learning for staff

One of the charity’s strategic aims is to ensure that everyone working for Marie Curie Cancer Care has the skills, training and learning opportunities they need to do their job.

One of the ways we provide greater access and reach more staff is through our online classroom, Learn and Develop @ Marie Curie Cancer Care. We are continually improving the site to ensure that it grows with the skills and expertise of our staff.

Practice education

To ensure that staff who provide direct care to patients have the required skills and knowledge to continually deliver excellent patient care we have a team of 15 Practice Educators.

Their role is varied and they are required to work locally and nationally to ensure that our learning materials are up to date and appropriate. Their role involves:

• Working with Nursing Service Managers to determine the training needs identified during staff appraisals
• Developing learning materials (this includes online, skills labs, study days, work books, etc)
• Delivering learning events – face to face, online, self directed study etc
• Training and supporting registered nurses and healthcare assistants to cascade training e.g. skills labs for syringe driver updates
• Evaluation and audit of learning events

Spiritual and religious care competencies for specialist palliative care

We have developed a set of tools to help identify training and development needs for our staff. Healthcare professionals from other organisations may also find our toolkit useful.