Re: New workforce statistics

[Guest guest]

I agree completely, Diane, thanks. One of my first funded research projects looked, similarly, at identifying needs then deciding which services should be developed through the contract setting process. We got into a fine old muddle in determining which needs, once identified, would actually be recognised as legitimately deserving of funding for services; and of course the evidence issue come in along the way as well. Paper attached (sorry for being posy!) in case you are interested; all very historic and few people remember the old so-called 'yellow peril' (after the colour of its cover) book of instructions to GP fundholders about what they could or could not contract for (ie, health visiting, but not school nursing, which was relevant here). I think that where NHS staff are seconded into Children's Trusts or Centres, there is no need for TUPE, because their employer remains the same. My impression is that this is the most common situation at present, but is likely to change as the 'Transforming Community Services' agenda gets underway. All provider arms of PCTs are supposed to have indicated how they see their future by now, as they cannot stay as provider arms for much longer; I am not sure of the exact timetable (can someone tell us?). Many are integrating with acute hospital trusts, which rarely seems like a good idea for community staff. Integration into Children's Trusts and local authority are another way forward, and I think some places are trying to stall until they see what the election will bring, which I must say seems the be plan to me. The one thing that seems certain is that whichever government comes to power, they will want to stamp their own mark on provision, which usually means yet another reorganisation.best wishesOn 28 Mar 2010, at 10:01, Diane DeBell wrote:This is very helpful indeed, . Thank you. I am, at the moment, writing about the link between health needs assessment and workforce planning, mainly planning, training and development of the workforce for the 0 to 5 age group. May I suggest that this is a likely effective route to making the case for increase in health visitor numbers. In other words, start from the needs argument first. Once health needs are accurately established for a population, it should be easier for commissioners to understand the need to train and develop the workforce. The next step, of course, is to use the same mechanism for the school nurse workforce. However, this workforce is likely to be functioning (increasingly) within the Healthy Schools programme as a partnership arrangement and that poses the question of which skills school nurses have that teachers cannot acquire. The tupe explanation is fine. But we are also looking at pooled budgets for some activities (after April 2010 implementation of statutory guidance for Children's Trusts). Would that require tupe? Or not? Some of the early CAMHS teams were funded by pooled budgets and I believe the staff were appointed as new employees. I could be wrong. Nevertheless, I think we really do need to monitor the considerable changes in employment decision making that are arising and will arise from local authority National Indicator Sets, PSAs, pooled budgets, Children's Trusts statutory guidance changes, etc. But arguments from the perspective of heatlh need are powerful ways of identifying workforce need. At the same time, vigilance is needed in order to ensure that skill mix does not reduce the skill base of the health visitor and the school nurse workforces. Does any of this make sense? V best, Diane New workforce statistics [1 Attachment]The DH issued their annual census of NHS workforce on Thursday, see attached or www.ic.nhs.ukIt shows a continuing decline in the number of health visitors, standing at 8517 whole time equivalents in England in September 2009, which is a fall of a further 247 whole time equivalent posts. The headcount has gone down from 11,190 to 10,390 although for the first time this figure excludes bank workers which accounts for the large drop (there are 10,859 with those included). The now-familiar worrying trends continue including the continuing ageing of the workforce, which now consists of 22% over the age of 55 years, so able to retire at any time; of those, 8% are over 60 years old. There is another worrying figure, which is that 304 of the 'leavers' were in the age range of 35-45 years, showing a problem with retention. The number of 55-60 year olds has remained stable, instead of rising as would have been expected, suggesting that people are retiring as soon as they can. Those stalwarts who opt to stay re staying longer, with an amazing 169 health visitors over the age of 65 years; almost double the number since 2006, when it was 89!School nursing numbers continue to rise from miniscule to minute! There were 1215 (WTE) qualified school nurses in September 2009, as compared to 1067 a year earlier. There are also more first level nurses (RN) working in school nursing team, 1681, up from 1239, so their skillmix is getting even more dilute. I thought that was not supposed to happen, now there is a proper qualification for them, but guess there may be something of a panic in relation to the target of getting one school nurse per secondary school and its feeders; isn't that target supposed be met by 2010? It is pleasing that the numbers are at least continuing to go up, but the major problem, as always in school nursing, is just that the numbers are so low that even adding another 150 is a drop in the ocean. best wishes Cowleysarahcowley183btinternethttp://myprofile.cos.com/S124021COnThe DH issued their annual census of NHS workforce on Thursday, see attached or www.ic.nhs.ukIt shows a continuing decline in the number of health visitors, standing at 8517 whole time equivalents in England in September 2009, which is a fall of a further 247 whole time equivalent posts. The headcount has gone down from 11,190 to 10,390 although for the first time this figure excludes bank workers which accounts for the large drop (there are 10,859 with those included). The now-familiar worrying trends continue including the continuing ageing of the workforce, which now consists of 22% over the age of 55 years, so able to retire at any time; of those, 8% are over 60 years old. There is another worrying figure, which is that 304 of the 'leavers' were in the age range of 35-45 years, showing a problem with retention. The number of 55-60 year olds has remained stable, instead of rising as would have been expected, suggesting that people are retiring as soon as they can. Those stalwarts who opt to stay re staying longer, with an amazing 169 health visitors over the age of 65 years; almost double the number since 2006, when it was 89!School nursing numbers continue to rise from miniscule to minute! There were 1215 (WTE) qualified school nurses in September 2009, as compared to 1067 a year earlier. There are also more first level nurses (RN) working in school nursing team, 1681, up from 1239, so their skillmix is getting even more dilute. I thought that was not supposed to happen, now there is a proper qualification for them, but guess there may be something of a panic in relation to the target of getting one school nurse per secondary school and its feeders; isn't that target supposed be met by 2010? It is pleasing that the numbers are at least continuing to go up, but the major problem, as always in school nursing, is just that the numbers are so low that even adding another 150 is a drop in the ocean.best wishes Cowleysarahcowley183btinternethttp://myprofile.cos.com/S124021COn Cowleysarahcowley183@...http://myprofile.cos.com/S124021COn

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