North East

About the region

The North East covers an area from the Scottish border down to North Yorkshire and across to the Cumbrian border in the west. With a population of approximately 2.6 million it is one of the smallest of the English regions. Healthcare is a major employer in this region generating an annual turnover of more than £4 billion.

Newcastle

The North East region industrial sector is thriving in the areas of diagnostics, medical devices, clinical trials and pharmaceuticals. It is also home to the Centre for Life Sciences (CELS) which runs the region’s sector support network – aiding healthcare and biotechnology companies with supply chain, skills and other key issues.

Projects

Currently Skills for Health is involved in:

  • One European Working Time Directive pilot site looking at co-operative solutions, team working and 24 hour coverage
  • STEPS programme – developing partnerships for first entry level workforce development
  • Embedding National Workforce Competences through the Health Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE)
  • Society Health and Development Diploma
  • Working with the four newly established Commissioning Clusters to support workforce planning and development
  • Supporting the North East Ambulance Service to map the functions and competences required by Control Centre Staff on behalf of all English Ambulance Service Trusts
  • Supporting in conjunction with Skills for Care, Social Care colleagues and PCTs the development of best practice infection control guidance for staff working within a care domiciliary setting.

 

Sector Skills Agreement

A two stage SSA is currently being developed. The initial SSA will be a short 6 to 8 page document that sets out some of the high level challenges for the sector in the North East. It will also outline the solutions being developed by each partner to meet these challenges.

The SHA is developing four commissioning clusters led by PCTs across the North East and then linking workforce planning to these clusters. This is a departure from the traditional model but it means that the end product will be a very robust workforce plan for the NHS in the North East. The clusters will include members from the independent and voluntary sector. Taking a sector wide approach means that it will be at least
18 months before there is a clear vision of what is needed. Hence the two stage process.

A draft outline of the 1st stage SSA was sent to the SHA in early August. Sign off of this outline is expected in October. Stage 1 SSA should be delivered in January or February 2009 with Stage 2 completed 14 months later.

Key facts

  • More than 1,000 registered charities with activities in health and well being
  • 60 independent organisations registered with the Healthcare Commission in North East England
  • Highest percentage of establishments funding or arranging training.

Labour Market Intelligence

To read the full Labour Market Intelligence report on the region click here.

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