NHSSCOTLAND STAFF SURVEY 2013 National Report

9. Appropriately trained and developed

Effective staff appraisal or review is good employment practice. It contributes to enhanced staff satisfaction and performance, which ultimately leads to improved patient outcomes. NHS staff employed under Agenda for Change (AfC) Terms and Conditions participate in the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) development review process. Staff employed on other contract types (e.g. doctors, dentists and some senior managers) have separate development review arrangements. This section of the survey asked staff about their experience of the development review process applicable to them.

Table 3 shows that almost three out of four staff who responded to the survey (73%) had taken part in 'a KSF development review, performance review, appraisal, PDP (Personal Development Plan) meeting or equivalent' in the last 12 months (Q4a). This was an increase of three percentage points on 2010 and 26 percentage points on the 2006 survey (see details in Appendix E). However, care should be taken with comparison with the 2006 survey due to a change in question wording. Across NHS Boards, the percentage of respondents who had taken part in a review in the last 12 months ranged from 38% to 91% (see details in Appendix B). Doctors in training who responded to the survey were the most likely to have taken part in a review (90%) and Nurse Bank staff who responded to the survey were the least likely to have done so (18%), see details in Appendix C.

Of the respondents who had taken part in a review, two thirds agreed that it helped them to agree clear objectives for their work (Q4c). Almost four in ten respondents agreed it helped them to improve how they did their job (Q4b). In each case, the percentage positive response was lower than in 2010. Social Care Support staff who responded to the survey were the most likely to agree that their review helped them agree clear objectives for their work (85%) and improve how they did their job (69%). Ambulance Vehicle Crew who responded to the survey were the least likely to agree that their review helped them agree clear objectives for their work (37%) and improve how they did their job (19%), see details in Appendix C.

Of respondents who had a review in the last 12 months, over eight in ten had agreed a PDP or equivalent (Q4d) and three out of four of these had received or expected to receive the training identified in this plan (Q4e). In each case, this was a small percentage points decrease when compared to 2010. Across NHS Boards, between 57% and 88% of respondents who had a review had agreed a PDP (see details in Appendix B). Salaried General Dental Practitioners who responded to say they had a review were the most likely to have agreed a PDP or equivalent (97%) and Ambulance EMDC staff the least likely to have done so (60%), see Appendix C.

In summary, a higher proportion of respondents reported that they had taken part in a review in the last 12 months than in previous surveys. Of these, a large majority had agreed a PDP or equivalent and had received/expected to receive the training identified in this plan. Two thirds of respondents felt that the review helped them to agree clear objectives for their work. A lower proportion felt it helped them to improve how they did their job. For all these sub-questions there was a decrease in percentage positive response in 2013 when compared to 2010.

Table 3: Response to questions relating to the 'Appropriately Trained and Developed' Staff Governance dimension.

1 In response to Question 4a, 55% of survey respondents within NHSScotland indicated that they had participated in a KSF development review; 18% indicated that they had participated in another type of review.

2 KSF: Knowledge and Skills Framework. PDP: Personal Development Plan.