Margaret Kelvey

1
Literacy, Language and NumeracyTheir Place in
the Health Sector

• Margaret Kelvey
• Manager, Extending Participation, Skills for
  Health
• Wednesday 25 February 2009

2
Drivers/Challenges

• Modernising healthcare delivery
• Increased productivity and effectiveness
• Increased focus on public health
• Introduction of new technologies
• Ageing population
• Skills shortages and gaps
• Inconsistent workforce data and planning
• Funding

3
Extending Participation our role

• Support policy development
• Link LLN to mainstream processes
• Lever funds and broker cross sector deals (JIF)
• Facilitate achieving targets (Skills Pledge)
• Link to workforce solutions and skills mix
• Access to partnerships and collaboration
• Develop tools and resources
• Support local projects and JIF access

4
Contribution of Literacy Language and Numeracy

• Key components of employability skills required
  by all staff
• Safe and effective healthcare delivery
• Quality of service provision
• Competent and flexible workforce

5
Literacy, Languge and Numeracy in the Health
Sector

• LLN fundamental to
• Creating a flexible and adaptable workforce
• Enabling staff to carry out roles more
  effectively
• Better recruitment and retention
• Raising confidence and motivation levels
• Increasing the uptake of learning and development
  opportunities
• Ensuring patient care and safety

6
Can we really afford to keep ignoring peoples
needs?
Dont think Ive got the hang of using this nail
gun.
7
The Employability Skills Matrix for the Health
Sector

• identifies the personal skills, qualities,
  attributes and behaviours needed for each level
  on the Career Framework
• can help to support staff to access a grade of
  post, sustain effective working in that post and
  progress to higher/different posts
• will help individuals to see where they must
  develop skills and knowledge and contribute to
  the staff review process

8
Matrix Examples Level 1
Take part in discussions on familiar topics.
Complete simple forms. Read and understand
short text.
Briefly chat with people to put them at ease.
Fill personal details in on an application
form. Follow notices and signs in the workplace.
Adult literacy entry level 3
9
Matrix Examples Level 1
Follow directional signs to find your way around
a building. Be able to understand how many
patients are having lunch from the appropriate
paperwork.
Read and understand simple symbols, diagrams and
charts. Extract numerical information from lists,
tables, diagrams and simple charts.
Adult numeracy entry level 3
10
Literacy and Numeracy
11
Literacy, Languge and Numeracy key strands of
work

• Raising awareness
• Building capacity and capability
• Embedding and mainstreaming
• Sustainability
• Measuring impact
• 
  http//lln.skillsforhealth.org.uk/

12
Literacy, Language and Numeracy tools and
resources

• WOA health check, flowchart and strategy builder
• Case studies
• Employability Skills Matrix
• Skills Pledge Guidance leaflet
• Contextualised materials for delivery of City and
  Guilds Award in LLN and ICT Awareness
• Literacy and Numeracy Initial Assessment Tools
  for the health sector

13
Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals Case
Study

• LLN scheme to increase learning and employability
• Benefits
• Improved confidence and motivation
• Improved communication and documentation
• Extended clinical skills and care to patients

14
Greater Glasgow and Clyde Case Study

• Integrated training into existing intravenous
  module to improve numeracy skills of nurses
• Benefits
• Improved confidence about administering IV drugs
• Safer more effective service for patients
• Change in prep for programme
• More flexibility in teams to handle IV
• Extended programme

15
Dorset and Somerset SHA Case Study

• SHA embedded LLN into existing policies and
  clinical governance frameworks (Whole
  Organisation Approach). Introduction of
  assessment at key stages (e.g. Induction,
  pre-NVQ, PDR)
• Initial organisational benefits
• Good partnership working across the economy
• Improvement of learning infrastructure and
  practices
• Assessment of 800 staff
• Joint working to enhance the approach

16
Strategic Intent

• Development of a skilled, flexible and
  productive workforce to raise quality of health
  and healthcare for the public, patients and
  service users