Association of Healthcare Cleaning Professionals
Education, Training & Development
The education work stream group has now had 4 very successful meetings and continues to address educational challenges on behalf of the association and its membership in line with the AHCP Education, Training and Development Strategy document.
The team consists of 15 – 20 like minded AHCP members with an interest or involvement in Learning and Development within their Trust or organisation. They are representative of all healthcare cleaning professionals both public and private, across the 4 countries, all sectors – Mental Health, Acute, PCT, Community, PFI and LIFT – and include HCC, DH, IHM and Sector Skills representation.
The group have produced an informed Training Needs Analysis (TNA) and subsequently have circulated TNA templates to be addressed to all members via branch meetings. The completed TNA returns will continually inform educational progress and developments.
The group’s main piece of work, to meet the needs of the informed TNA, is the production of:
“A user friendly qualification framework, which recommends the minimum training standards/requirements for all levels of ‘cleaning’ personnel; Identifying developmental opportunities, in line with the philosophy of a skills escalator, and which is linked to the KSF, national occupational standards, (NOS) and highlights training providers”
The framework builds on the good practise of AHCP branches throughout the 4 countries and will consolidate a great deal of information, initially in a paper based format, but ultimately the framework will be web based. The project plan is being prepared and will concentrate initially on the job roles of a cleaning operative and housekeeper, with a proposed launch at the 2008 Conference.
Members of the group are also working in tandem/parallel with the Institute of Healthcare Management (IHM) to produce a similar framework for EFM Supervisory and Management grades, graduate and management training schemes.
Over the next months, members will be asked to assist with piloting and evaluating the developed framework.
Work to date on the framework is divided up into 3 main stages:
Stage 1, November and December: Populate the job specific sections of the framework – highlighting all the tasks a cleaning operative/housekeeper may undertake
Stage 2, January to March 08: Test, Pilot and Evaluate the paper based framework – across the 4 countries, sectors public and private
Stage 3, March to June 08: Publication and launch the paper based version at Conference
Stage 4, June 08 and On- going: Develop, pilot and promote the web-based framework
The progression of Stages 2, 3 and 4 of the work stream is dependent on sourcing and securing adequate funding. The group are actively working with HFS, DH, HCC, Suppliers, partners and SHA to bring this about
Professional Healthcare Advisory Group for EFM
AHCP continues to be involved and represented within the group. All associations involved within EFM meet to speak as one voice to influence the centre and raising EFM profile
Institute of Healthcare Management (IHM)
IHM, a membership association, have developed a Specialist Interest Group (SIG) for EFM, to which any IHM member can join. AHCP and its interests are indirectly represented through IHM members. IHM can endorse/accredit learning opportunities – conferences/study days etc. Work is in progress to identify fit for purpose learning opportunities for EFM managers and to support/raise =profile of EFM at centre
AHCP training web page – work is in progress to include monthly educational updates highlighting challenges and solutions supplied by members of the work stream group. In addition the group are developing a learning opportunity pro-forma, which can be completed by group or AHCP members generally. The pro-forma will highlight and share good practise/best practise within EFM educational learning opportunities
Sector Skills Councils
AHCP continue to be represented.
Skills for Health and Asset Skills are reviewing and circulating draft updates of their National Occupational Standards (NOS). Comments on the drafts are still welcomed and will make a difference to content.
QCA (Qualification Curriculum Authority) for all 4 countries are to merge, which should assist with country – wide standardisation of curriculum and qualification
Further details please contact:
Susan McHugh, AHCP Deputy Chair North and Education Lead
Education, Training and Development Manager
Manchester Mental Health and Social care NHS Trust
Susan.mchugh@mhsc.nhs.uk
Mobile: 07816771048
Notes of the
- AHCP Educational Work stream group meeting
- AHCP Training Strategy
- Think Clean Campaign Publicity Material
- Healthcare Advisory Group Minutes of meeting held on 28/4/08
- IHM – Institute of Healthcare Management – SIG (EFM Special Interest group)
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Ongoing work in Scotland
Within Scotland there is a ministerial Task Force, and part of its Action Plan tasked Health Facilities Scotland with setting up a project to develop an Education and Training Framework for domestic assistants. This was a collaboration between HFS, AHCP, and NHS Education for Scotland. A document was produced in 2005, aiming to define nationally-agreed areas of competence informing the education and training required by domestic assistants. It covers basic cleaning techniques, health and safety and customer service. There is also a manager's guide and a domestic assistant's workbook, due to popular demand.
Since then, the document has been revised. Last year, workshops were held around the country, and feedback suggested a framework for the whole domestic service. The new workbook covers housekeepers as well as domestic assistants. Future developments will revise the supervisory programme, and also consider workbooks for assistant domestic managers and domestic managers.
Ongoing work in Southern Ireland
Marie Liston, from Southern Ireland has supplied information on training and development initiatives for support staff and supervisors in Ireland.
Several projects are currently in operation: the SKILL (Securing Knowledge Intra Lifelong Learning project for support staff) project which can be found at www.skillproject.ie ; together with eight modules of the FETAC Level 6 programme for supervisors, to follow.
DECAF is a European project to standardise, simplify and share training for support staff working in a health and social care setting. Materials and resources for DECAF can be found at http://decaf.beechesmc.com/.
Ongoing work in Wales
Welsh developments in training:
The Welsh Assembly Government has developed the Education and Lifelong Learning and the National Institute for Continuing Education. Carina Bale, Deputy Chair, Wales, says "Within my Trust, I'm linking the National Standards into each staff's IPLs and the KPIs,"
Other activities include NHS Open Weeks. The National Standards of Wales are linked with the Risk Pools and Risk Assessments, and there are links with AssetSkills and Skills for Health, in conjunction with which there have been workshops with the National Occupational Standards.
Professional Forum Minutes - update 
Available now to all who view our web site –links for quick access to ETD information – including-
The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) Improving the safety and quality of care
One Stop NHS Healthcare Environment web-link Includes Patient Environment
NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement
Knowledge & Information Portal [Registration Required]
EFM [Registration Required]
Careers in Estates & Facilities Management
Primary and Social Care Premises - Planning and Design Guidance
Southern Training Advisory Group
Northern Training Advisory Group
Healthcare Workforce Portal brings you latest updates, resources and news from NHS National Workforce Projects.
Credits 4 Cleaning A software application for the management of cleaning standards in hospitals
Scotland's Health on the Web (NHS Scotland)
NHS Education for Scotland (NES)
NHS Education for Scotland e-Library Direct access to Healthcare Associated Infections can be found HERE
Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
Education and Training Bodies, Associations and Institutes:
Individual Learning Account Wales
Workers' Educational Association (WEa)
IDeA: working for local government improvement
The Royal Institute of Public Health
The Royal Society for the Promotion of Health
The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland
The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH)
The British Institute of Cleaning Science
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM)
Healthcareworkforce.nhs.uk Resource Library
Other useful ETD links:
CatererSearch Provides news, jobs and information on all aspects of hotels & hospitality, including health and safety & hygiene guides
LSC agenda for change - report on progress including plans for commissioning in 2007 (18th Oct). Supporting the Development of Local Area Agreements - building voluntary sector capacity
QIA Teaching & Learning Change Programme - new programme for adult learning Autumn 06
LLU+ Prospectus 06/07 - courses for existing and new Skills for Life Teachers and Tutors
Approval of Level 3 and Cambridge IELTS - clarification of ESOL Qualifications
CLLP Skills for Life Strategy Group - new mini site for 06/07
Provider Toolkit - The Network's pool of resources for Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN)
The Further Education Sector in London - LSC London snapshot of the FE sector
The Impact of New Fee Policies in FE - report of research findings
Employment and Skills for the 2012 Games - LDA / LSC research report and evidence
What is e-Citizen? / Who is it aimed at? - new foundation computer skills qualification
Changing Patterns of Employment by Ethnic Group & for Migrant Workers - national report
Diploma in Public Service Leadership - new Chartered Management Institute qualification
National Employers Skills Survey 2005 - key findings on incidence, extent & nature of skills problems facing employers, in terms of both recruitment and skill gaps in the workforce.
Professional Recognition Learning and Skills - national roll out for SfL practitioners
Community Learning & Development - web consultation led by LLUK for new sector standards
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