About Us

Background

Scotland needs a national blue print for clinical skills training. This will ensure that an effective, efficient, open coordinated approach  to skills development is  agreed at both strategic and operational levels.   To date the establishment of skills centres, simulation centres and skills units have been driven by individuals and institutions (Royal Colleges and Universities) without recourse to a national needs perspective.

The  establishment of NHS Education (NES) has created the platform for an interprofessional approach to the development of a blue print for clinical skills  education and training. This approach could promote the development of a skills profile for each health care provider rather than defining skills through individual professional groups. This has the backing of the Scottish Executive epitomised  in Agenda for Change (2003) and Learning  together Working together (1999)

In addition, with increasing evidence that simulation in clinical skills training can help to minimise errors and maximise patient safety there is an increasing need to provide more structured systematic simulated clinical experience in preparation for practice to ensure skill development and maintenance and to prevent skill decay. 

Current and Future Challenges

There is only a finite resource available for skills education and training for the NHS workforce. Given that the quality of the health service is dependent on the quality of the education and training of health care providers it is essential that these resources are used efficiently and effectively. This will require strategic planning of skills facilities at a national level with agreed definitions relating to centres, units etc.

Currently skills education and training is developed at local level and is reactive rather than proactive with skills packages often being duplicated in each region, and staff being required to repeat similar training programmes if they move region. A clear management system between those delivering care and those providing skills training needs to be in place in each region with ring fenced funding for essential clinical skills training. There is also a need to promote quality skills training through the development of a national proactive strategy for clinical skills.

Given the decreasing amount of time available for education and training of health care professionals, the perceived shortfall in the required numbers of key health care professionals, and the increase in the complexity and accountability associated with the delivery of health care, there is a need for a national forum linking those who are making health care policies and those who are implementing skills training programmes to ensure skills training is responsive and relevant.

There is also a need to ensure the quality of skills training through the development and funding of a clear career pathway for clinical skills educators, with ongoing guaranteed support for the resources required for quality training e.g. training venues, equipment, administrative support.

The development of any national blueprint will also require funding for a coordinated research agenda to evaluate different approaches to clinical skills training.