Agenda item
Health and Social Care Academy Update
To receive and consider an update presentation on the Health and Social Care Academy.
Minutes:
Background:
· The Strategic Workforce Lead for Health Care and Partnership gave a presentation to update the Committee on the Health, Care and Social Care Academy (slides would be shared with the committee following the meeting).
· The Workforce Futures Partnership was established as an enabler to the Health and Care Strategy and the Health Care and Social Care Academy wasone of the key pieces of work sitting under the Workforce Futures Partnership.
· The leading focus identified was around how the academy worked with schools and colleges to link apprenticeships ‘grow our own future’ workforce in Powys, which stemmed from a pilot project with two secondary schools.
· In the 2023-2024 academic year, the pilot was scaled up to become the Academy Careers Education Enterprise to gain more understanding on what a whole school approach for secondary aged learners could look like. The aim was to expand understanding with four pilot schools but actual reach was 10 secondary schools and two college campuses.
· Over 3,800 learners engaged with the Academy in 2023-2024.
· A further phase of learning was conducted for those pupils enrolled in health and social care courses who benefitted from an enhanced programme of work, more frequent contact with the Academy team, including scenario-based and practical learning experiences.
· Evaluation figures for the enhanced programme of work showed that 90% of learners reaffirmed that they would be interested in learning about health and social care.
· The evaluation had concluded for the 2023-2024 academic year. Going forward, all 13 secondary schools have engaged with the programme. Next year there would be an improved online presence with resources to supplement learning. The Academy were working with the Powys County Council Business Intelligence Team to strengthen the approach towards evaluation and monitoring learners over time for scheme impacts to be compiled.
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Issues Raised by the Committee: |
Responses Received from Officers and Cabinet Members: |
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A breakdown of funding was requested and if any funding was provided directly from the Council.
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Most of the funding for the Academy team came through the Regional Integration Fund.
Two registrant posts within the team were funded by Health Education Improvement Wales. |
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It was questioned how the regional partnership worked. |
The Regional Integration Fund was managed by the Regional Partnership Board and was managed at an executive level. |
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It was asked whether Powys provided bursaries to people studying health and social care degrees who intended to work in Powys.
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The role of the Academy was to raise awareness of health and social care learning opportunities and direct learners to partner organisations who manage recruitment. Bursaries were dependant on the offer of the Local Authority.
Due to a relevant officer not being present, a definitive answer was unable to be provided regarding Powys bursaries. |
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It was asked if Powys could be included in the list of suggested counties for health and social care placements in Wales. |
ACTION This was noted and planned to be picked up with the Health Board and Council colleagues. |
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It was asked how the Health and Social Care Academy worked together with Powys Learning & Development Team? |
It was explained that the Academy colleagues linked up with the Council’s Social Care Teams and the Strategic Workforce Lead for Health Care and Partnership NHS was also the Chair of the Social Care Wales Workforce Development Group (SCWWDG), which met on a quarterly basis to discuss social care and workforce development. Under the Workforce Futures Programme there were several Theme Coordinating Groups that drove forward elements of the programme in addition to the work with schools and colleges which included officer from the Learning and Development Service.
Local Authority colleagues from Learning and Development were part of those groups. |
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Was there a crossover of the work between the Health and Social Care Academy and Powys Learning & Development Team? If so, did they cross reference and signpost to each other? |
They worked collaboratively. There were items that the sovereign bodies were responsible for, and the academy added value exploration to find shared solutions.
Collaboration working was key to develop and work on shared solutions. |
Resolved: The Committee noted the update.
Supporting documents:
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