- Conference
- 2004 Health Care Service Group Conference
- Date
- 5 January 2004
- Decision
- Carried
Conference is concerned that access to training and education for “non-professional” staff is very limited or in reality non-existent in some workplaces. All staff in the NHS are important and essential to the delivery of services in the NHS. Therefore all staff should have equal access to training and education. Staff classified as “professional” are given extensive training and education during their careers.
The government has put in place various initiatives to provide training and education for all staff in the NHS, but these are mostly directed at those who are within the “professional staff” groups. Where training is available for the “non professional staff” there is often a reluctance on the part of managers to allow staff to go on courses, as they are not seen to be a priority when it comes to training and education or as part of their career development.
We need to ensure that staff who wish to access training and education are enabled to do so, as this is sometimes the only way that staff can improve and build their skills and knowledge.
We instruct the SGE to work with the NEC and other appropriate committees to issue guidance to branches on setting up agreements with employers to ensure that all staff can access training and education if they wish to do so.
Such agreements must include a commitment by employers to make appropriate cover arrangements so that staff, irrespective of their work pattern, can be released from their duties to attend training courses.