Competences/National Occupational Standards (NOS) FAQ

What are NOS?

NOS describe the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to undertake a particular task or job to a nationally recognised level of competence. They focus on what the person needs to be able to do, as well as what they must know and understand to work effectively.
They cover the key activities undertaken within the occupation in question under all the circumstances the job holder is likely to encounter.
This definition is supported by UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES)

What are the benefits of NOS?

NOS are tools to help individuals, organisations and training providers to improve performance. They are useful for carrying out a wide range of activities some of which are described below.

  • They describe the minimum standard to which an individual is expected to work in a given occupation 
  • Set out a statement of competence which bring together the skills, knowledge and understanding necessary to do the work
  • Provide managers with a tool for a wide variety of workforce management and quality control
  • Offer a framework for training and development
  • Form the basis of Vocational Qualifications (VQs) on the Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF) and Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs).

More detailed examples can be found in the next three FAQs.

What are the benefits to Employers? 

  • Improve quality of goods and services
  • Increase productivity
  • May reduce costs for recruitment by standardising the selection and interview process of employees 
  • Provide a means for better workforce planning
  • Help identify and fill skills gaps 
  • Act as a benchmark for rewarding experience, knowledge and competence.

What are the benefits to Employees?

  • Create a checklist to measure your performance
  • Identify professional development needs and help career progression 
  • Accumulate evidence that could be used to obtain a qualification
  • Increase mobility within the Health sector.

What are the benefits to Training and Education Providers? 

  • NOS will identify learning and skills needs and act as a basis for qualifications
  • To create units of learning
  • Make programmes more relevant to employer’s needs
  • Provide clear goals for structured learning &  define learning outcomes
  • NOS enables providers to identify gaps in provision.

How are NOS used?

  • Workforce Design
  • Workforce planning
  • Recruitment & Selection 
  • Induction
  • Performance Management 
  • Personal Development
  • Team Development
  • Career Development
  • Succession Planning
  • Training & Education Design
  • Assessment & Accreditation.

How are NOS developed?

Skills for Health (SfH) has lead responsibility for developing NOS for the health sector. We work collaboratively with the relevant stakeholders, practitioners and experts to write the competences. This work is usually carried out as a project with a Strategy Group, Reference Group and Project Executive Group in place to support progress.

NOS have been agreed through the internal SfH process and have to meet the quality criteria set down by UKCES, who are responsible for the approval of all NOS.

How are they kept up to date?

NOS are reviewed by SfH on a project basis. For example when a NOS no longer reflects current practice or it becomes part of a wider qualification review.

Are there different levels of NOS?

No, a NOS is a single function that defines the task. Some can be applied to roles at different levels and across professions in a Career Framework, whilst others describe functions that can only be undertaken by people at certain levels and in particular roles.

Are NOS compulsory?

No, but using NOS is recommended good practice by SfH and UKCES.

How does the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) fit in?

They are relevant to the whole of the UK and apply to the healthcare sector in its entirety, rather than exclusively to the NHS. All the NOS in our database are mapped against and indicatively linked NHS KSF Dimensions. Evidence used to demonstrate competence against Skills for Health NOS can also be used to show how you meet your NHS KSF profile.

Who owns the copyright to Health NOS?

SfH own and hold the copyright.
 

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