National health and social care workforce plan: analysis of consultation responses

2. Consultation Responses

This section includes a brief commentary on responses received to the consultation and summarises the main points raised by stakeholders.

Question 1: Governance

1. The Discussion Document indicated that governance arrangements would be put in place to help stakeholders set the direction of their workforce plans, asked whether the roles suggested were the right ones, and what steps would be needed to ensure these proposals are fully effective.

2. Respondents to the Discussion Document consultation:

• agreed on the need for a workforce plan and the roles outlined in the Discussion document;
• supported clear objectives for a workforce plan, connected to existing strategies and outlining shared principles;
• emphasised the need for links between workforce, service and financial planning;
• supported engagement with stakeholders such as universities, health, social care, third sector, patients, planners and employers;
• encouraged links between national, regional and local levels to avoid duplication and share best practice; and
• agreed that the workforce Plan should be subject to close scrutiny.

Question 2: Workforce Planning Roles

1. The Discussion Document asked how barriers to collaborative working could be removed to ensure workforce planning is effectively coordinated.

2. Respondents to the Discussion Document consultation highlighted the integrated nature of workforce planning - in particular, that there should be

• Integrated objectives, with greater alignment between the approach to service delivery, service, finance and workforce plans, workforce data and training programmes;
• More effective engagement between. all stakeholders;
• Further resources made available for workforce planning;
• A greater focus by Scottish Government and employers on building sustainable workforce planning capacity and capability;
• Collaboration, rather than competition, between services.

Question 3: Workforce Data

1. The Discussion Document asked how data should best be collated and used so that it works in an integrated context.

2. Respondents to the Discussion Document consultation:

• agreed that robust data, and how it is collected and combined, is critical to effective workforce planning;
• acknowledged that further work is required to address data gaps, improve quality and ensure consistency;
• supported clearer roles for organisations around the analysis and reporting of data to support workforce planning;
• supported clearer information governance to support the acquisition and linking of data.

Question 4: Recruiting and Retaining Staff

1. The Discussion Document asked employers how they would like to tackle recruitment and retention nationally, regionally and locally, and what changes would support this.

2. Respondents to the Discussion Document consultation raised a number of themes:

• Better data and forecasting would help identify recruitment and retention issues;
• Well defined career pathways and flexible careers would help to support recruitment and retention;
• More co-ordinated marketing input should help support recruitment into health and social care;
• Flexibility in terms and conditions could help in certain circumstances;
• Education and training should support changing requirements, and be more closely aligned to analysis of supply and demand and labour markets;
• There should be a single approach to marketing career information, recruitment and retention and vacancies.

Question 5: Clear and Consistent Guidance

1. The Discussion Document asked whether it would be helpful to have an overarching process, principles and framework for workforce planning across sectors.

2. Respondents to the Discussion Document consultation agreed:

• that guidance should set out a clearly understandable framework for workforce planning, based around good practice principles;
• that this framework should, as far as possible, be integrated across sectors and groups;
• guidance should be based on best practice, informed by the best available evidence;
• that guidance should highlight opportunities for workforce planners to further develop their skills, through education and training;
• that guidance should be clearer on the data and analytical support available to to ensure workforce planning is undertaken consistently.

Question 6A: Student Intakes

1. The Discussion Document asked how a more collaborative approach to student intakes might help.

2. Respondents to the Discussion Document consultation:

• Supported a more integrated approach across the "controlled" groups involved in student intakes for doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives;
• In some cases, saw opportunities for non-controlled professions in health and social care to benefit from a "controlled" student intakes process;
• Recognise the effects of this process on the flows into other healthcare professions eg, pharmacists and paramedics;
• Recognised that target setting should play a greater role in the commissioning processes for dental, nursing and midwifery and medical students;
• Agreed that work on student intakes should be considered alongsidethe alignment ofservice, financial and workforce planning.

Question 6B: Other Issues

1. The Discussion Document asked what other issues should be addressed to remove boundaries to successful workforce planning in health and social care.

2. Numerous points were raised in relation to this question as it was created to give all stakeholders the opportunity to raise issues or concerns outside the immediate scope of Questions 1-6. All of these identified issues can be viewed by clicking on the link in section 1.3 - Responses. These will be considered within the content of the Plan itself, and in its future iterations.