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WQ.424/2020
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES BY G.P. SOUTHERN OF ST. HELIER
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 2nd NOVEMBER 2020
Question
Further to the submission made by his Department to the Migration Policy Development Board, in which it was indicated that up to 50% of mental health nurses and 75% adult nurses used by the Department were supplied by agencies, and the reliance by that Department on agency and locum medical professionals to deliver health care in the Island, will the Minister state what action, if any, is being taken to increase and improve the recruitment of community nurses and other trained workers in lower-skilled roles, such as health care assistants and home care assistants?
Answer
The figures of 50% and 75% referred to the percentage of vacancies that are covered by agency, not the percentage of the whole workforce.
The Department is involved in the Jersey Employer Group, which is a Jersey-wide group set up to consider how employers and Government can work together to build a better future for Jersey and promote it as a great place to work.
Five key workstreams were identified and formed into working groups:
- Build a clear narrative which markets Jersey as a great place to work
- Develop coaching & mentoring programmes across organisations and sectors
- Share information and best practice to support the development of Diversity & Inclusion in Leadership
- Develop an early career/ school engagement strategy
- Develop a strategic workforce plan for Jersey.
However, the group was paused in March in response to Covid 19 until June when the Steering Group met and agreed that two working groups would be prioritised to support the GoJ recovery response to Covid-19; the other working groups would remain paused'.
The two working groups prioritised were:
• Develop an early career/ school engagement strategy
• Develop a strategic workforce plan for Jersey
Health is a key sector represented in the creation of a five- to seven-year workforce plan which will consider the requirements over that time for the workforce and how to deliver the skills needed.
Alongside this wider activity, the department is currently pursuing a mixed mode of filling vacancies, recruiting into posts from off-island and "growing our own".
Successful recruitment has taken place across the Department – for example, 30 nurse vacancies have been filled during the month of October. Robust governance ensures that any agency workers covering these vacancies are removed as the vacancy is filled. Our Care Rediscovered website is a successful means of capturing external candidates and now includes Allied Health Professional roles (such as Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy).
As part of our offer to external candidates, we also offer training courses to support personal development and career progression. These courses include:
Undergraduate degree programme for registered practitioners (nurses and AHPS) – BSc in Professional Practice
Postgraduate degree programme for registered practitioners – MSc in Professional Studies Postgraduate degree programme for registered practitioners – MSc in Advanced Practice
Postgraduate Certificates in Professional Practice and Advanced Practice
We are also in the process of establishing a Specialist Community Public Health Nursing training programme.
The "grow our own" element of the recruitment is also supported by training courses.
For staff without any formal qualification (such as HCAs and Home Care Assistants) we offer the following courses:
Level 2 Diploma in Care
Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care
Level 3 Assessor Award
Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Adult Care (This is a regulatory requirement – Jersey Care Commission require all care managers to hold this qualification.)
A staff member may then progress to take the undergraduate degree programmes for first, second and third-year Adult student nurses - BSc Nursing Degree programme.
We also offer a BA (Hons) Social Work qualification course (via Highlands College).
The Department also has in place several whole day sessions for 6th Form students called "Insights into Health and Social Care Careers". These sessions raise awareness of the varied careers on offer across the whole department.