East Midlands
About the region
The health sector is critical to the East Midlands because as well as providing healthcare to the resident population of the region, the sector also employs approximately 140,000 people.
As a region generally we are improving against many national indicators but there are still significant areas where more needs to be achieved. This includes raising productivity, improving skills and educational levels particularly in the region’s three main cities – Derby, Leicester and Nottingham.
Projects
Currently Skills for Health is involved in:
- Higher Education demonstrator site with Derby NHS Trust
- Development of learner materials for Pathology NVQ 3
- Developing a model for East Midlands Regional Skills Network
- Working with two independent and voluntary organisations identifying the benefits of working with a Sector Skills Council
- Working in partnership with AimHigher to provide Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and a set of resources to support teachers and lecturers in the provision of the Society Health and Development (SHD) Diploma for 14-19 year olds. The Skills Academy for Health is in its development phase involving collaboration with employers to co-ordinate skills and training provision across the region.
- The Skills Academy for Health is in its development phase involving collaboration with employers to co-ordinate skills and training provision across the region.
Sector Skills Agreement
Following the launch of the East Midlands SSA consultation in April 2008, discussions with colleagues and partners across the region have lead to a first draft of the action plan. The plan highlights a number of key issues and strategic aims which have been rated by employers as important. It also sets the direction needed and outlines some first steps whilst recognising there is no ‘quick fix’. The work of all our partners will be key to achieving success and some of the year one actions illustrate the excellent examples of partnership work already in progress.
The second stage of the SSA consultation is to debate and shape the action plan for the next three years. Partners and colleagues are being asked to review the action plan and make comments and additions over the next few months so that a final version can be circulated in December 2008.
Once agreed, Skills for Health and key partners will monitor and revisit the action plan on a regular basis, sharing progress via local health communities to employers, and wider partners and stakeholders across the region.
To view draft Action Plan click here (pdf).
Key facts
- Highest proportion of female employees within the health sector
- Lowest proportion of employees qualified to S/NVQ 2 but 64% qualified to Level 3 or above
- The 14-19 Society, Health & Development Diploma will be provided by four consortiums in the East Midlands in 2008 and a larger number planned to start in 2009.
Labour Market Intelligence
To read the full Labour Market Intelligence report on the region
click here.