SCQF: Supporting the Flexible
Learner Journey
June Holland
Head of Faculty
Dumfries and Galloway College
Political Agenda
• Nationally the emphasis in the Health and Social
Care Sectors has been on the concept of
nationally integrated and transferrable roles
designed to support the skills needs of the
changing NHS and Social Care workforce.
• The integration agenda was further endorsed by
Nicola Sturgeon then Deputy First Minister and
Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities
Strategy in December 2011
• In the beginning 210 hours of excellent in-house
training undertaken by STARS team ( Short Term
Augmented Response Team ) within the NHS was of a
very high standard yet was not given currency or
external validation
• As this workforce was intended to develop capacity in
terms of both flexibility and mobility this lack of
recognition meant that qualifications and skills were
hard to assess and therefore made it impossible to
also be used as steps to develop horizontal and
vertical progression
• Initially, to give some academic status to this
programme a tutor from Dumfries and Galloway
College worked closely with the NHS author of
the in-house Reablement training programme
with a clear focus on credit rating and assessing
the high standard of training delivered so that it
could be recognised by the appropriate governing
bodies
• Key to this was also to formally recognise both
informal and non formal learning
The Path to Reablement
• A key driver for this initiative was to create an
integrated programme of education and
training across health, and social care practice,
at all levels, by providing colleges, employers,
and HEIs with an opportunity to work
together ensuring an appropriately skilled,
mobile and flexible workforce.
• Social Care Partnerships within Dumfries and
Galloway designed and developed in
consultation with health, nursing and social
work colleagues an employer led Reablement
workforce development programmes for their
Health and Social Care support workers.
• The broad aims were to develop
– Creative approaches to providing opportunities for
learners and staff to engage with employers
– Personal and professional development
opportunities for college staff/learners associated
with employer engagement
• Following on from this new partnership it was
further realised that mapping the local
in-house programme could lead to an SQA
nationally recognised qualification sitting
within the Scottish Credit and Qualification
Framework (SCQF) allowing career
progression both horizontally and vertically
and promoting a mobile skilled workforce of
both existing employees and direct entrants.
• An application was made to SQA to consider the
development of an award which would address
the requirements of workforce planning across
health and social care with Reablement at the
centre of the proposed award
• With the input of several other Colleges work
began on developing this new National
Progression Award (NPA) in Health and Social
Care: Promoting Reablement at SCQF level 6
• This award has been designed to be delivered through a partnership
approach engaging with employers such as National Health Service
(NHS), local authority and the voluntary and third sector and also
could be delivered through partnership working with employers,
training providers and SQA approved centres as a discrete award
• Assessments and outcomes are designed in line with the Sector
Skills Council’s Assessment Strategy for work based qualifications
creating another clear partnership approach which supports
Colleges using NHS placements, and collaborating with the NHS
• This maximises and strengthens the support between mentors and
centres and Colleges affording strong, meaningful and lasting
partnerships.
The Outcome
• The outcome has realised a massive potential in a number
of different ways
• The NPA is linked to National Occupational Standards and is
flexible in its delivery
• The framework of mandatory and optional Units enables
centres to tailor their offer to meet local needs. The size of
the Units also supports flexibility
• The NPA could be offered in one of the following modes:
–
–
–
–
full-time
part-time
day release /twilight
open learning
Dumfries And Galloway
• Within the NPA is a double credit unit
Reablement and Self-Management: Practical
Skills
• As well as being embedded in mainstream
programmes this was also delivered in
partnership to the NHS Healthcare Assistants
• They were congratulated in a Parliamentary
minute in 2013 as the first staff in Scotland to
gain this award
• When delivered as a full-time programme, the
NPA is a combination of theoretical Units with
the option of including the remaining SVQ
Level 2 Units from Health and Social Care so
candidates can gain the full SVQ Level 2 award
• Another option for centres is to include the
more theoretical Unit — F1RH 11 The Human
Body — which may support the progression of
candidates to SCQF level 7 qualifications.
Changes to Practice
• The whole award is available as fully interactive and on
line
• This means that Regional Council and NHS staff can
access the award with only 5 delivered workshops
which is now being rolled out
• Also DGRI are now placing patients in care homes to
have Reablement realised and so elements from this
award are used to raise awareness and training has
begun in a number of care homes as workplace based
workshops . Staff who have undergone this can then
successfully use this training as RPL when progressing
onto the full award
Any Questions