Development of a tool to support managers’ decision-making and evaluation of staff education and training

Managers have a key role in ensuring staff are trained effectively so they can carry out their work to a high standard (Alvarez et al 2004, Duffield et al 2011). However, within the last five years, a number of high profile reports in England have identified significant failings in healthcare delivery and made recommendations to improve workforce education and training to enhance safety, quality and patient outcomes (Keogh 2013, Francis 2013, Cavendish 2013, Imison et al 2016). Indeed the UK Health Select committee in January 2018 stated that ‘Health Education England must reverse cuts to nurses’(House of Commons 2018) continuing professional development budgets. Funding allocated to trusts should be specifically ring-fenced for continuing professional development (CPD) for nurses, and specific funding should be made available to support CPD for nurses working in the community.’ They indicated they had heard ‘a clear message (…) that access to continuing professional development plays an important role in retention’ (House of Commons 2018). Operating in a climate where both time and financial resources are limited, it is important that managers make informed decisions about staff education and training which demonstrate value for money as well as improved service quality. However, factors such as competing organisational priorities and managers’ own time constraints may impact on their ability to make such decisions and to evaluate the outcomes of training attended. Decision making takes place in a variety of ways which include, but are not limited to, appraisals. This can result in choices which do not best serve staff, the patient or the organisation. In this context, a tool to aid managers’ decision-making regarding staff training may be valuable.