SCQF and the Health Sector

Since 2005, NHS Education for Scotland (NES) has worked in partnership with other NHS Boards across Scotland to help embed awareness, understanding and use of SCQF within learning in NHS Scotland.. The SCQF NHS project aims to:

• ensure that NHS staff involved in the design and development of learning programmes have an appropriate understanding of the SCQF
• promote SCQF as an important tool to assist the design and development of learning programmes for NHS Scotland staff
• communicate information on the SCQF through published materials, guidance, and facilitated discussion at consultative meetings and conferences
• seek interconnectedness between SCQF, the NHS Knowledge & Skills Framework (KSF) and careers in NHS Scotland.

How will the SCQF be progressed in the NHS in Scotland?

In Spring 2008, a Project Development Officer will be appointed to carry forward SCQF work within NHS Scotland. Funded by NES and hosted within the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), the Project Development Officer will be tasked with:

• mapping vocational qualifications relevant to the health sector, and ensuring where possible that these are credit rated within the SCQF;
• supporting Health Boards across NHS Scotland to access SCQF credit rating for in-house developed learning provision, where this is appropriate;
• developing further the recognition of health-sector work-based learning using the SCQF;
• seeking to establish learning pathways, including credit transfer, for health sector staff, wherever appropriate.

Work to date:

2005:

150 delegates from the health and education sectors attended initial conference, looking at potential links between KSF and the SCQF. A conference report is available on the SCQF web-site.

2006/ 2007

Generic information leaflets were designed and distributed by NES to Health Boards across NHS. These include:

• SCQF NHS leaflet
• KSF_The NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF): Briefing Information for Education Providers

Three regional 'Masterclasses' were hosted in March 2006 for key delegates from NHS Boards to explore the SCQF in more detail and to help inform future project work streams. A Masterclass Report is available on the web-site.

A preparation workshop was held to help providers of in-house learning programmes from across a range of NHS Boards prepare their programmes for submission for credit rating. Case studies of these programmes are being developed for publication on the NES website in mid 2008 (www.nes.scot.nhs.uk)

2008 -

A workshop package has been developed to help NHS Scotland staff involved in developing learning programmes to use SCQF principles as part of the design process. This workshop will be offered more widely across NHS Scotland in 2008/2009.

In support of cross-sector working, NES will be helping to pilot RPL materials produced by the Scottish Social Services Council with groups of learners within NHS Scotland.

Further information:

Further information is available from either Karen Adams on karen.adams@nes.scot.nhs.uk or Angela McCulloch (Project Administrator) onangela.mcculloch@nes.scot.nhs.uk.