INFORMATION: ECCF 2012
What is ECCF?
The Early Clinical Career Fellowships are an opportunity for highly enthusiastic,
talented and motivated nurses and midwives to develop personally, professionally
and academically, at an early stage in their career. The fellowships can have a
positive impact on patient care delivery both now and in the future through focused
support and maximisation of leadership potential.
The Fellowship comprises supported Masters Education, Action Learning,
Masterclasses and Mentorship.
Feedback from fellows and those who support them during the pilot group includes:
“A worthwhile development that needs to be developed and built upon to identify,
support and sustain new leaders in the future” (clinical coach)
“ECCF is an excellent idea, other mentors and I have noted that the fellows are of
calibre that inspires confidence” (mentor)
“For any ambitious individual who is keen to effect change and reach their potential
ECCF appears to be providing the correct tools”. (fellow)
What is the national direction?
The Scottish Government Health Directorates commissioned NHS Education for
Scotland (NES) in 2007 to pilot Early Clinical Career Fellowships for Nurses and
Midwives in collaboration with the NHS Boards and Higher Education Institutions.
This is one of a range of initiatives to support modernising healthcare careers within
NHS Scotland
There is a national steering group chaired by a Director of Nursing, with
representation from Scottish Government, NES, NHS, Education, and Professional
bodies. NHS Boards and Higher Education Institutions work in partnership to ensure
the fellowships are linked to current and future workforce development and that
Masters dissertations are integrated within each organisation’s research agendas.
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The pilot stage of ECCF was evaluated by a Research Team from University of
Northumbria on behalf of NHS Education for Scotland. The findings from this
evaluation and the lessons learned throughout the pilot have informed both the
ECCF 2011 and the ECCF 2012 fellowships.
Early Clinical Career Fellowships (ECCFs) are an important means of enabling
talented, motivated and highly capable people to develop their leadership skills at an
early stage in their career. This will have benefits for succession planning and for
realising the wider skills ambition of developing leadership capability throughout
NHSScotland.
What does the fellowship consist of?
The fellowships include study leave for a Masters programme, action learning,
masterclasses and mentorship.
It is important to note that ECCF 2012 differs from the ECCF pilot in a number of
respects; therefore stakeholders are asked to ensure the information they are
accessing is referring to the relevant fellowships i.e. ECCF 2012.
ECCF 2012
Protected Study time
The employing NHS Board receives backfill for each fellow to enable them to be
released from the clinical area to concentrate on their professional and academic
development. The study leave must be used to access the development activities and
complete a Masters programme.
The amount of protected study time is for up to 300 hrs per year. This is the
equivalent of 7.5 hours per week for up to 40 weeks per year for a maximum of 3
years. Fellows will negotiate with their line manager when this is taken, but it is
likely that some weeks will require several days study whilst others weeks will not
require any study leave.
Development Activities These activities are a compulsory part of the fellowship.

Attendance at a national induction day

Participation in Action Learning Sets (x 4 per year),
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
Attendance at twice yearly Masterclasses.

Access a mentor to support career and professional development.
Masters programme The fellowship includes funding for a clinically relevant, part- time
Masters academic programme. NHS Education for Scotland act as sponsors and receive
invoices directly from the University .
What is expected of the Fellows?
Fellows must engage in all components of the fellowship.
Study time related to your Masters studies will extend into personal time.
There will also be some financial commitment associated with your Masters
programme e.g. resources for studying, travel and subsistence. Applicants from
remote and rural areas may be eligible for some travel and accommodation costs.
What are the criteria for application?
All applicants must

have completed their nursing or midwifery pre-registration programme no
earlier than 2009;

be a graduate (this can be in a any discipline);

be in contracted employment in NHS Scotland;

intend to remain employed as a nurse or midwife within NHS Scotland
throughout the three year fellowship;

complete Flying Start NHS® by August 2012 and provide signed evidence
before commencing the fellowship;

have the support of their colleagues, line manager, clinical manager and the
NHS Board Lead for ECCF (contact details for the NHS Board leads are on the
ECCF webpages);

select a preferred Masters programme that they can commence in September
2012. Guidance is given on selection of Masters programme
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Expectations of fellows
The fellows must :

attend all compulsory aspects of the fellowship, some of which will be in their
own time;

maintain regular contact with their mentor for ECCF, NHS Board lead for
ECCF and NHS Education for Scotland ECCF project team;

participate in national evaluations of the fellowship;

provide a report to NHS Education for Scotland and the NHS Board on
completion of their fellowship;

commit to disseminating the findings of their dissertation;

commit to contributing to the delivery of quality patient care in NHS Scotland
both throughout the fellowship and for a period of 2 years beyond;
Penalties
Fellows will be liable for any university fees due to failed modules and must resit
these in their own time.
In the event that a fellow does not complete the fellowship; they will be liable for full
university fees paid up to the point of leaving the fellowship.
How are the fellows selected?
A robust selection process is in place for these fellowships. This is to provide
evidence that those who are offered a place have the capability and intention to
complete the fellowship.
Applicants who are short-listed are asked to undertake psychometric testing and
personality assessment prior to competency based interviews. Guidance is given to
applicants to prepare them for this process.
Interview panels consist of representatives from the employing NHS Board, NHS
Education for Scotland and Higher Education. The interview panels select successful
candidates and fellowships will be offered accordingly.
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How are fellows supported?
Line Managers
Line managers support the fellows in their early careers through personal
development planning and review processes. They ensure fellows receive the funded
protected study time to access all components of the fellowship. They provide the
fellows with opportunities to use their leadership skills as these develop.
Mentor for ECCF
Each fellow meets regularly with a Mentor for ECCF on a one to one basis during the
three year fellowship and potentially onwards as they progress in their careers. The
role of the Mentor for ECCF is to support the personal, professional and career
development of the a fellow. They are experienced staff who are employed within
the NHS or a Higher Education Institution and are committed to developing talented
nurses and midwives in their early career. They will assist the fellow to explore
healthcare within the contexts of both their own organisations and at a wider
national level. They will use coaching and facilitation skills to support and challenge
the individual to maximise the development of their leadership potential with the
overall aim of enhancing patient care. Fellows will be supported to identify their
mentor by the NHS Board lead for ECCF.
NHS Board Leads for ECCF
Each NHS Board has a lead for ECCF with a strategic role in ensuring the local
infrastructure supports the fellows, line managers, and mentors. They ensure that
ECCF links, where appropriate to the NHS Board research agenda and workforce
succession planning. They contribute to the national direction through regular
communication with NES and lead contacts in other Boards.
Action Learning Set Facilitators
Action learning brings together small groups of fellows to support and challenge
each other to resolve practice and professional issues; create options; and agree
actions. It is “based on the idea that learning and development has to be about real
problems in real life with real people. and to learn from the effects of that action”
(McGill & Brockbank 2004). Fellows participate in sets which are supported by
experienced Action Learning Set Facilitators.
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Masterclasses
Masterclasses address issues which the fellows consider important e.g. professional
development, patient safety, patient experience, and career development. Fellows
are required to attend all masterclasses. This is a good opportunity to meet fellows
from other Boards.
What is successful completion of the fellowship?
Successful completion of ECCF includes ALL aspects of the programmes:




Completion of a part time Masters programme of study;
Attendance and participation in Action Learning;
Attendance at masterclasses;
Access to a mentor for ECCF;
ECCF Project Team
Updated August 2012
Accessible word format 25/9/2012
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