Workforce Solutions to support a ‘Prudent in Practice’ workforce
‘Don’t wait to be told …….you have permission to act’ (NHS Clinical Framework, 2021)
The pandemic mobilised individuals and teams in a collective response to a mutual cause aimed at saving lives and minimising the spread of infection. From a workforce perspective a significant cultural shift occurred resulting in greater co-operation, understanding and respect for the contribution of others.
Pressures on the system are significant and the workforce challenge is complex. While systems and services have provided a focus for change, it is the staff working in health, social care and the voluntary sector that represent the largest asset in delivering integrated care that spans boundaries.
Despite many parts of the workforce suffering from fatigue there is a real sense of motivation to do things differently, to innovate and improve services for patients and communities.
Focussing conversations on the opportunities and solutions rather than the challenges and problems, professional leaders are more likely to achieve buy-in from front line staff resulting in the sustainable workforce transformational change and improvements required.
The contribution of our talented workforce is pivotal to support integrated working. Many of the skills required already exists within the workforce; however, creating a truly flexible, agile and empowered workforce requires greater consideration of how those skills are used.
HEIW have developed a live resource to support the adoption and implementation of workforce solutions across the wider system. This compendium contains national workforce resources from across Wales, to support fresh thinking and sharing of initiatives in the development of a flexible, agile and sustainable workforce.