Allied Health Professions Education and Workforce Policy Review: Workforce and Recruitment Subgroup minutes: February 2022

Attendees and apologies

Attendees

• Kay Sandilands, NHS Lanarkshire
• Anne Wallace, Scottish Government
• Alison Moore, Scottish Government
• Kim Lynch, Scottish Government
• Abby Campbell, Scottish Government
• Sean Torrens, Scottish Government
• David Wylie, NHS Education for Scotland (NES)
• Helen McFarlane, NHS Education for Scotland (NES)
• Fiona Smith, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
• Helen Gallagher (deputy for Anita Simmers), Council of Deans of Health
• Kenryck Lloyd Jones, Allied Health Professions Federation Scotland (AHFS)
• Glenn Carter, Allied Health Professions Federation Scotland (AHPFS)

Apologies

• Lyndsay Turner, Scottish Government
• Alistair Reid, Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS)
• Paul Williams, NHS Borders 

Items and actions

Welcome from the Chair           

Members were asked to let secretariat know of anyone else who should be added to this group, including on an ad hoc basis.                     

Purpose and background  

The workforce and recruitment subgroup will take forward specific actions identified by the National AHP Strategic Oversight Group, specifically to explore issues around this theme. The outputs of this group will be used to form recommendations for the AHP Education and Workforce Policy Review. 

Terms of Reference were discussed and agreement made that consideration of the following should be made:

• adding a bolder statement about the key drivers being factors that impact demand and supply for both now and future
• retention of current workforce and clear pathways alongside recruitment of staff and students
• Transforming Roles, with the caveat that this will not be the main drive of the group
• workload measurements in more detail and in conjunction with demand and supply

There will be a crossover of work between subgroups and it was clarified that discussions and outputs of the subgroups will be shared to the oversight group to ensure clarity and provide overview of activity. 

Action point:

• Secretariat to redraft terms of reference in line with what was discussed
• as a way forward, an action and work plan is to be created

Sub group drivers

Group reviewed the primary drivers for workforce and education to be covered within this subgroup and concluded the following:

• the right levels of understanding and communication between health and education sectors is required for effective workforce planning
• a more formal agreement between health and education may be required to ensure a more systematic handling rather than on an individual level
• although not as fully as the NHS, independent, council and third sector workforce will be considered in scope
• in defining demand, contemporary models of delivery should be considered and should reflect population need

Action point:

• group were asked to review overall driver diagram and comment on what would be appropriate for this group. Scottish Government officials to draft a driver diagram for the group to consider before the next meeting

Presentation – David Wylie

AHP Workforce Planning – the role and value of NES

Presentation was made to the group from NES on the paper AHP Workforce Planning – the role and value of NES.

AOB

The group will meet every four weeks with the next meeting scheduled for Monday 9 May 2022.