The Welsh renal dialysis competency framework aims to provide transformational reform for the career pathways and associated education, training, learning and development opportunities for the HCSW renal workforce at all levels to develop the core knowledge, skills, and behaviours to care for people affected by renal issues.
Non-accredited competencies have been developed by the BC UHB North Wales renal services team and HEIW to initiate the process of creating a once for Wales approach to an agreed set of competencies for the Band 3 and Band 4 workforce across Wales. The working group has utilised, as a mapping tool, with permissions, the York Renal Services Care Competencies, to ensure alignment across nations. This work’s ambition is to standardise, through an agreed set of competencies, HCSW renal practices across Wales, linked to job descriptions. The creation if the HCSW renal dialysis competency framework will support the development of the workforce to enable them to meet the requirements of their role, scope of practice and to provide safe and effective quality care.
The outcomes of the consultation will directly inform the next phase of development. This will include the creation of detailed competencies, identification of role-specific requirements, and the development of educational units and qualification content. Following the consultation period, subject matter experts and key stakeholders will be invited to participate in a Task and Finish Group to support the detailed design and development of the qualification and associated learning pathway.
The aim of this consultation is to share the proposed developed HCSW Renal Competency Framework for NHS Wales and invite comments from the sector, through a structured engagement approach, to reach agreement for publication and use in development of accredited learning provision at Level 3 and Level 4.
The engagement process will seek to gather feedback in terms of:
Agreement that a national competency framework is required
The breadth and depth of the new Welsh competency framework are comprehensive enough to support all-Wales practices.
The Renal Competency framework is fit for purpose against job descriptions
Comments in relation to each of the specific competencies and sub-sections included
The development of formal qualifications within a learning pathway would be of benefit to the HCSW renal sector workforce.
There are three ways to have your say in the consultation:
A questionnaire. This can be found here: HCSW Renal Competency Framework for NHS Wales Consultation Survey – Fill in form and also provides an opportunity to give us relevant feedback that you think would be useful towards the consultation.
Workshops. These will give you an opportunity to have more focused discussions between the 19th and 26th October. To book your place on any of the workshops please see below.
If you would like us to run a workshop in your professional staff groups, meetings please contact us so that we can arrange this. heiw.wblapprenticeships@wales.nhs.uk
The workshops will give you an opportunity to have more focused discussions and will be held between the 19th and 26th October. You can register for the workshops via the link: Y Ty Dysgu
Tuesday 20th October 2026 13.30 – 15.00
Thursday 22nd October 2026 15.00 – 16.00
Friday 23rd October 2026 13.00 – 15.00
Monday 26th October 09.00 – 10.30
You are welcome to contribute through the medium of Welsh during this webinar. If you would like to do so, please let us know by 13th October so that we can make the necessary arrangements, including the provision of simultaneous Welsh interpretation.