Rachel Gowland, 21 January 2022
Key Messages and links to 21 January 2022
Welcome to Health Education England’s regular stakeholder bulletin. In this bulletin we will provide:
- COVID-19 latest updates
- Overview of HEE education and training news
HEE COVID-19 latest updates
We have created a COVID-19 update webpage that provides guidance and information from HEE, which applies to all students and trainees. This webpage also includes HEE COVID-19 surge guidance.
To keep up to date with plans for medical training recovery, visit HEE COVID-19 webpages.
Vaccination as a Condition of Deployment: frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) for Pre-registration Nursing and Midwifery and Allied Health Profession Students have been published on the HEE website.
This FAQ has been developed to respond to some of the questions asked by students in relation to vaccination as a condition of deployment. This is a live FAQ and will be reviewed and updated in order to provide advice and guidance. We will continue to work with the Council of Deans of Health who are also looking at a number of issues and plan to offer some support and information.
We are supporting all professions to rapidly grow to meet the needs of patients:
Nursing
Pandemic inspires ‘future nurses’ with a welcome increase in school and college leavers looking to enter the profession
A record number of 18-year-olds applied to study nursing in England in 2021, with the COVID pandemic playing a significant factor in their decision to apply, according to a new UCAS report published today in collaboration with HEE.
This has been accompanied by an overall rise in the number of nursing applicants across all ages, with a record 28,815 choosing a nursing course in England as their first choice through UCAS. The pandemic has shone a positive spotlight on the profession and raised the public profile of nursing. This, together with the introduction of the Learning Support Fund, promotion of nursing careers through the award-winning We are the NHS campaign, and an investment of £55 million into practice placements, has contributed to the increase in applications to study nursing. Read more on the HEE website.
AHPs
Newly trained mammographers boost breast screening workforce
A HEE-funded training programme to boost the breast screening workforce is celebrating its first 50 new apprentices. The newly qualified mammographers are now working in the NHS Breast Screening Programme and breast units. Another 70 apprentices are already in training and will qualify over the next two years, with further intakes planned.
The apprenticeship is part of a comprehensive programme of training, recruitment and career development aimed at tackling the national workforce shortages in NHS breast imaging and is funded by Health Education England. To find out more, visit the National Breast Imaging Academy website.
Allied Health Professions’ Research and Innovation Strategy coming soon!
This strategy will set out a bold strategic vision to support and accelerate the research and innovation agenda for all the Allied Health disciplines and will provide a framework to drive transformational impact for AHP research and innovation, specifically for enhanced visibility, reputation, influence and impact on services.
This Strategy has been developed in a co-production approach, working closely with the research leads of the 14 Allied Health professional associations, as well as a wide range of other key stakeholders. Join us for the launch at our “Breakfast Broadcast”. Weds 26 Jan 9.30am – 10.15am. Register here.
New guidance for diagnostic imaging support worker roles
We have published guidance, in collaboration with the Society of Radiographers, to maximise the contribution of the diagnostic imaging support workforce to deliver safe and effective care.
The guidance sets out roles and responsibilities for diagnostic imaging support workers, including assistant practitioners, at four career levels. It provides additional, profession-specific competencies that complement the AHP Support Worker Competency, Education and Career Development Framework. The guidance will enable services to develop and deploy support workers effectively to meet patient needs and service demand in the context of the Richards’ review and development of imaging pathways. Access the guidance on the HEE website.
Mental health
NHS Talking Therapies campaign
NHS England and NHS Improvement has launched a new mental health campaign to highlight that feelings of anxiety and depression can affect us all – and the NHS is there to help. The NHS provides a range of talking therapies for common mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, which are free, effective and confidential.
Famous faces from across music and radio, including Craig David, Tom Grennan, Laura Mvula, Nicola Roberts, Ella Henderson, Max George, as well as an NHS therapist and real people who have benefited from the NHS mental health Talking Therapy services are supporting the campaign in a powerful new video featuring the lyrics of the Beatles’ song ‘Help!’, which calls on people who are struggling to reach out for support through NHS services – either by referring themselves, or by contacting their GP practice who can also refer them. Visit nhs.uk/help for more information.
Pharmacy
Community pharmacists contribute to workforce survey
Community pharmacy across England has contributed valuable information to a workforce survey which gathers information on staff numbers and skills to help plan the future workforce.
HEE, working with NHS England and NHS Improvement, commissioned the Community Pharmacy Workforce Survey (2021) across England to understand how the size and make-up of the community pharmacy workforce has changed since the last survey was conducted in 2017. It provides a snapshot of the community pharmacy workforce in spring 2021 and will help HEE and partners to inform future planning and investment decisions. Read more on the HEE website.
Newly Qualified Pharmacist pathway
This new (optional) pathway is designed for learners across all sectors of pharmacy, to help them meet their development needs as they enter newly qualified practice.
The pathway aims to link the initial education and training reforms to a continuum of post-registration development. It is also intended to help pharmacists make the transition to more independent learning, and to act as a stepping-stone towards advanced practice. Find out more about funded support and how to register on our website.
Summer 2023 trainee foundation trainees
A reminder that employer applications are now being invited for the next round of the National Foundation Trainee Pharmacist Recruitment Scheme via Oriel.
Recruitment will take place in September-October 2022 for trainees beginning their Foundation training in Summer 2023. The deadline for employers to register to recruit via the National Recruitment Scheme and submit programme information for the 2023-24 cohort is Tuesday 1 March 2022. More information here
Workforce and education initiatives
Applications for the Scientist Training Programme open until 1 February 2022
The Scientist Training Programme (STP) is a three-year training programme that includes work-based and academic learning. Whilst on the programme trainees will also complete a part-time master’s degree at the university offering the chosen specialism. Trainees will complete the programme and be employed at a local level by an NHS Trust in England on a fixed term training contract salaried at AfC band 6. Click here for more information for anyone interested in applying to the Scientist Training Programme. Applications close on Tuesday, 1 February at 4pm.
Our Health Heroes Awards 2022 finalists announced
The unsung heroes of the NHS have their chance to shine at the Our Health Heroes Awards which celebrates the wider healthcare workers who support NHS doctors and nurses on the frontline.
Sponsored by HEE, the awards are open to NHS staff from porters and cleaners to receptionists, gardeners, and security guards, who make up roughly 40% of the NHS’ million strong workforce. Our finalists have done some remarkable work, now it’s up to you to help recognise and shine a light on them; voting is now open on the Skills for Health website.
DART-Ed webinar – Building appropriate confidence in AI to enable safe and ethical adoption
Join the second in HEE’s Digital, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Technologies in Education (DART-Ed) webinar series looking at how safe, effective, ethical adoption of AI technology in healthcare relies on clinician confidence, and how this can be built. The session takes place on 1 Feb 2022. Sign up for a place.
Fellowships in Clinical Artificial Intelligence
We’re pleased to announce the first Fellowships in Clinical Artificial Intelligence, alongside the London AI Centre for Value Based Healthcare. The post duration is 1 year at 2 days/wk, beginning in May 2022. It is open to specialty trainees in the London region and Kent Surrey Sussex region. These fellowships are funded and supported by Health Education England. The deadline for applications is 30th January 2022.
Fellows will gain expertise in Clinical Artificial Intelligence (AI) in an integrated pathway alongside their specialty training and implement ground-breaking work in the use of state-of-the-art AI software in live hospital environments.
For more information: News (aicentre.co.uk)
Health Innovation Placement (HIP) Pilot – applications now open
This new offering from Health Education England provides NHS leaders of all levels and professions with an exciting opportunity to develop through exposure with start-ups and small-medium organisations (SMEs), with the aim of leading on the development of a technological solution to a specific NHS problem. Find out more.
Wondering about BMJ Best Practice?
Want to understand more on how to get the best out of this award-winning, clinical decision-making tool? It is free to the NHS in England thanks to our HEE funding! So why not take just 30 mins to ask questions, find out how to sign up then navigate the resource that is available on desktop and mobile app, on or offline, 24/7.
Book today – places available now!
e-Learning for Health
Keep up to date with all the latest additions to the eLfH platform here.
FURTHER INFORMATION
By following @NHS_HealthEdEng you can keep up to date with new information and resources as they are published. Most importantly are the notifications of webinars being broadcast during the week.
Right now, making sure we are communicating properly is obviously incredibly important. If there’s any information you think is missing on HEE’s webpages, please let us know by submitting your question to the HEE Q&A helpdesk.
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