SOUTH WEST STRATEGIC HEALTH AUTHORITY
Minutes of the South West e-Learning Strategy Group held at
South West House, Taunton on 29 June 2009.
Present:
Alastair Thorn, Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
Alison Copp, Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
Angela Hayday, NHS Wiltshire
Carly Vercoe, Cornwall Partnership NHS Trust
Clive Gage, NHS Bristol
Ed Hammond, Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
Ed Iles, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Gary Flack, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Martin Penny, Taunton & Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Mike Bilham, Torbay Care Trust
Nick Jupp, South West Strategic Health Authority (Minutes)
Phil Loxton, Dorset PCT
Pip Bedingfield, NHS Somerset
Sally Wilson, Cornwall Partnership NHS Trust
Sheila Bliss, Dorset PCT
Susan Martin, South Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Tricia Ellis, South West Strategic Health Authority
Apologies:
Christina Quinn, Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust
Jenny Knight, Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Lin Sanders, Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust
Sinead Partridge, Devon Partnership NHS Trust
Sue Manser, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
No
Item
Action
1.
Welcome, Introductions and Apologies
2.
Tricia Ellis welcomed everyone and apologies for absence were recorded.
3.
The National Strategy for e-Learning
The draft Framework document was circulated. The Framework originated from
the UK e-Learning Strategy Board and the National e-Learning Management
Board. The document is still in draft and sign off is expected in September. The
vision and purpose were discussed. Tricia Ellis requested that any comments
should be sent via email by 31 July 2009.
Nick Jupp gave a presentation on the National e-Learning products. Concern
was expressed over the sustainability of funding post March 2011. The group
also questioned why e-Learning for Healthcare will not release their course
SCORM files for organisations to host on their local LMS. Update: e-Learning
for Healthcare only provide access to their courses through their own LMS or via
the National e-Learning Management System in line with DH guidance.
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29-06-1 All
4.
South West Strategy for e-Learning
The summary version of the Strategic Framework for Improving Health in the
South West was circulated. Tricia Ellis commented that e-learning developments
or requests for funding need to tie in to the nine categories outlined in the
framework.
5.
Report from the National SHA e-Learning Leads Meeting held on 17 June
NLMS Update
Nine Trusts (Royal Cornwall in the South West) are participating in the Extended
Pilot, which involves a larger group of users who will be accessing a wider range
of courses. The pilot is due to end at the end of July, with a report produced in
September which will include case studies and lessons learned.
The time out issue has now been fixed. This issue caused the connection
between ESR and the e-learning provider to drop out which resulted in details of
the e-learning not being recorded in OLM.
There remains an issue with Core Learning Unit courses which do not update
OLM fully, the scores and completion status are not being recorded. This issue
will be fixed when the revised courses are launched at the end of July.
Smartcards will be required for core ESR users by the end of August 2009. eLearning users will not be mandated to have smartcards until a later date to be
determined.
Additional content from the National Patient Safety Agency is under discussion
with a target date of the autumn. Nick Jupp has requested that CfH investigate
the possibility of including e-learning from Doctors.Net.
A set of national competencies which can be applied to OLM courses, are under
discussion with a decision expected in the next couple of months on renewal
periods. A benefit of the system is that competencies applied to courses can
then be transferred to a new employing Trust using the Inter Authority Transfer
process. Angela Hayday commented that an employee’s training history doesn’t
transfer if their employment is terminated and they are re-hired (at the same
Trust) and given a new employee number.
OGC Buying Solutions e-Learning ‘Lot’
OGC Buying Solutions setup framework agreements with businesses which if
used, removes the requirement for tendering and results in a purchase at a
national negotiated rate. L&D and e-learning sits in the Professional Services
category, with e-learning being just one out of 22 lots. Forty suppliers have bid
and evaluation will commence on 8 July, with contracts awarded in mid-August.
www.buyingsolutions.gov.uk/categories/Professional/LandDandElearning/
Catalogue of Local Content
This is a national project sponsored by Connecting for Health and e-learning for
Healthcare. The objective is to create a national database of all local e-learning
content, with a completion date of September 2009.
The process is for Trusts to complete a spreadsheet based data capture form
which is sent to the CfH team for uploading into the Catalogue portal. The portal
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has yet to be determined; it could be part of NHS Evidence or the CfH web site.
The database will be searchable and will have the benefit of reducing the
number of local e-learning and encourage more collaborative working among elearning developers. It is up to each organisation to determine whether to charge
other Trusts for the course.
Trusts are responsible for the initial data capture, with the SHA responsible for
editing and maintaining the content.
e-Learning Object Repository
The repository of e-learning objects is currently hosted by the NHS Institute and
they have secured funding until the end of March 2010. Yorkshire Ambulance
Service and NHS London are currently working together to run and support the
Repository. There will be the need to find another host after that date plus a
resource with the expertise to run it.
The development of the Repository has been stopped to allow a promotional
campaign, together with a push to encourage organisations to upload more
content. The Repository suppliers – Myknowledgemap and Intra Library are still
supporting the service and the full Compendle package is available to authors
who wish to use it. There are 100 licences available for users who wish to create
material or upload content.
The Repository can be accessed at: http://elearning.library.nhs.uk/default.aspx
Users must have an Athens account to view or upload objects.
Core Learning Unit
The Core Learning Unit are undergoing a review following their move into Skills
for Health. Revised statutory/mandatory courses are due at the end of July 2009
although the Fire Safety course testing/pilot has been delayed at short notice.
There is an issue with the Core Learning Unit compliance with data protection
legislation. Guidance is being sought on what is available on the social care
portal and how organisations can access them.
The DH are in the process of commissioning pandemic flu e-learning and it is
anticipated that one of the national providers will be awarded this work.
The Core Learning Unit have changed their LMS to provide automatic reminders
to users when they need to retake the statutory/mandatory courses. If an email
address has been entered the reminders will be send via email 90 days prior to
expiry.
Connecting for Health
A project is ongoing to produce a e-learning maturity / e-Readiness toolkit. The
toolkit consists of a series of questions which organisations can use to assess
their readiness to implement e-learning. Questions cover infrastructure, trainer
skills as well as organisational culture. The toolkit is expected to be complete by
the end of September.
Each SHA will host a NLMS Implementation Consultant who will be attached to
the IM&T Directorate. They have been awarded a 12 month contract to support
organisations with implementing OLM & NLMS as well as encouraging best
practice and the use of the e-Readiness toolkit. They will also bridge any ‘gaps’
between IT and HR/Workforce training teams.
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6.
South West Learning and Development Strategy
L&D Strategy.pdf
L&D Strategy
Appendix 4.pdf
SW LDA 2008 page
21.pdf
The 2008 Learning and Development Strategy together with Appendix 4 and the
relevant paragraph from the 2008 Learning and Development Agreement were
circulated. Appendix 4 was written following consultation with the previous two
strategy groups and now requires updating.
Alastair Thorn requested clarification of the 2008 Learning and Development
Agreement paragraph 3.22.
7.
26-09-3 TE
South West e-Learning Strategy Group Membership and Terms of
Reference
It was agreed that the terms of reference will be amended to include:
Acting as a pressure group to improve national e-learning products and services;
Disseminating information on latest e-learning developments and forming a view
on the sustainability of funding streams. The individual Trust representatives will
also be required to provide a summary of e-learning activities for each meeting.
26-09-5 TE &
NJ
Nick Jupp will create a template for the Trust summary report.
26-09-6 NJ
The Group opted to meet quarterly.
8.
Organisations’ Assessments of Infrastructure, Resources and Support
There was no time to discuss this agenda item.
9.
e-Learning Strategy – Next Steps
Suggestions for the revised document were the importance of good IT networks,
the interconnection of networks e.g. JANET to N3 and a focus on newer
technologies. Sections 4.6 and 4.9 were identified as needing updating. Tricia
requested that comments and suggestions should be sent via email no later than
31 July.
10.
Any other business
A discussion took place on the suitability of e-learning for delivering fire safety
training. Nick Jupp will produce guidance for the use of e-learning to facilitate a
consistent approach across the South West.
Several group members felt that the development of OLM and the National eLearning Management System is hampered due to the existing enhancement
request process. It was felt that the Group should be in a position to pressure
McKesson / DH ESR Central Team with requirements and timescales.
The Group requested that all documented should be published on the South
West e-Learning web site – www.swel.nhs.uk
11.
26-09-2 ALL
Date of next meeting
28 September 2009, Meeting Room 2, South West House, Taunton
11 January 2010, Meeting Room 2, South West House, Taunton
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26-09-4 NJ
19 April 2010, Meeting Room 2, South West House, Taunton
19 July 2010, Meeting Room 2, South West House, Taunton
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