Learning and Development for our existing workforce across LLR is exceptionally important and helps ensure we develop an agile workforce with the right skills, knowledge, and behaviours to support our current and future service needs. Learning and development can support staff to work in new ways, identify and work through career paths, across organisations or within professions, and support patient flow across the system.
There are many ways in which staff can undertake learning and development and they don’t all require lots of time or money! We have included a number of those which are frequently accessed across LLR below.
This is beneficial to help staff across LLR understand how different parts of the health and social care system work, what the same job is like elsewhere or indeed what a different job in the chain that supports our patients does. It can also help staff to identify the direction in which they wish to take their career. Discuss the possibilities of shadowing with your manager.
Coaching is beneficial in supporting staff to identify for example the next step in their career.
A mentor may be an experienced professional who is able to support development within a role or someone who can support a member of staff who is on a learning and development programme.
You can access lots more information about these via visiting the LLR Academy Coaching and Mentoring pages llracademy coaching and-mentoring
These can be accessed by staff who wish to try a different role; they are primarily developmental opportunities that often provide the staff member with clarity about the direction they wish to take their career. Keep an eye out on the job bulletins and speak with your manager to discuss the possibility of a secondment.
There are lots of opportunities across LLR for staff to undertake self-study. For example there are currently a number of free accredited level 2 short courses that all staff can access from local colleges. There are also free accredited level 3 courses available from local colleges, or online, to staff that have not currently got a level 3 qualification. These programmes cover a range of topics and skills that may be of interest or benefit to the individual. They can be studied outside of working hours, or with the agreement of a manager, it may be that they are relevant to work and can be studied inside working hours. It is worth checking with your local college or online providers what courses are available to you.
ELearning for Health also has a wide range of eLearning programmes for all staff to access from short modules to full leadership programmes.
Foundation skills for ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages), maths, English and IT should not be forgotten. These courses have an impact on our whole life and are very beneficial to attend. Staff who do not have maths and English certificates at level 1 or 2 can complete learning free of charge via Leicester College. ESOL courses are mainly provided for free by the college also. There are many ways to develop IT skills. The UHL Apprenticeship and Development Centre are able to provide LLR staff with IT training ranging from Level 1 City in Guilds to self-study online short modules depending on what is needed.