Scottish Government

NHSScotland Knowledge and Skills Framework Statistics

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Introduction

The NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) is the third strand of the modernised NHS pay system Agenda for Change (AfC). The KSF provides a fair and objective framework on which to base review and development for all staff employed on AfC terms and conditions. Implementation of the KSF was supported by a HEAT target which required Health Boards to ensure that all employees covered by AfC had an agreed personal development plan by March 2009. Achievement of this target was a key milestone towards full implementation of the KSF. Implementation of KSF will support effective workforce development by ensuring staff have regular development reviews and support for agreed development activities identified within Personal Development Plans.

Main Findings

The main findings are:

• The percentage of staff who had an agreed KSF personal development plan increased from 14% in April 2008 to 92% in March 2009.

The table below shows the percentage of staff with a KSF personal development plan in each Board at the end of March 2009.

Note: Figures for eight NHS Boards in the above table have been revised. The previously published statistics did not take account of final performance figures which were received after the year-end report was produced and these have now been updated.

Methodology

Data for monitoring purposes was supplied by NHS Boards who collected the statistics through local performance management processes.

Baseline for monitoring purposes was set at the number of substantive posts in Boards at 31 March 2008.

Further Information

This is the first time these data have been published. Although not classified as National Statistics they are regarded as Official Statistics and, as such, are bound by the principles and protocols contained within the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

The measure above contributes to the Scottish Government's HEAT performance management system which sets out the targets and measures against which NHS Boards are publicly monitored and evaluated.

• HEAT target E3 - Staff with a KSF personal development plan

This HEAT target required Health Boards to ensure that 100 per cent of employees covered by AfC had an agreed personal development plan by March 2009. When exclusions to the target are taken into account i.e. staff on long term sick leave, maternity or other leave, staff on secondment and vacancies, Boards could reasonably be accredited with achievement of the target within a performance margin of 95% to 100% coverage.

The original HEAT target date for having 100 per cent of AfC staff with Personal Development Plans under the KSF was 31 March 2009. However, when it became clear that some Boards would not meet this target a separate delivery plan with Boards was agreed which extended the target to 31 May 2009. Therefore, Boards that reported 95% or above as at 31 May 2009 were regarded as having achieved the Action Plan target. Management information received in August showed that all NHS Boards achieved the Action Plan target by August 2009.

Useful Links

UK Statistics Authority, Code of Practice for Official Statistics - http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/assessment/code-of-practice/index.html

Scottish Government NHSScotland Performance Targets (HEAT) - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/NHS-Scotland/17273

For further information, please contact:

Christine McGregor

Scottish Government

Health Analytical Services

Email: Christine.McGregor@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Tel: 0131 244 3394