Six Steps workforce planning methodology

Our Six Steps Methodology to Integrated Workforce Planning is a practical approach to planning, that ensures you have a workforce of the right size with the right skills and competences  

The main aim of the Methodology is to set out in a practical framework those elements that should be in any workforce plan.

It also helps you work to the budget you can afford, delivering services to provide the best possible care.

Six steps will be useful for anyone working in healthcare human resources, workforce planning, service planning or in designing new ways of working. It helps managers take into account the local demographic situation and the impact on other services, and provides practical hints, tips and case studies to work through.

On the other hand, you may want to rethink the delivery of services in the context of an anticipated shortage of staff with particular skills.

“By implementing this programme, we have changed the culture of the organisation in terms of how people think about workforce planning, from it being seen as something HR do, to something that all managers and budget holders do.” Helen Allen Director of Workforce Development, NHS Plymouth  

Benefits of our Six Steps Methodology

  • A systematic practical approach that supports the delivery of quality patient care, productivity and efficiency 
  • Ensure workforce planning decisions taken are sustainable and realistic 
  • Scalable from small ward-based plans to large organisations 
  • Being adopted in social care, offering a joined-up approach with community services. 

The Six Steps are:

  • Step 1: Defining the plan 
  • Step 2: Mapping service change 
  • Step 3: Defining the required workforce 
  • Step 4: Understanding workforce availability 
  • Step 5: Planning to deliver the required workforce 
  • Step 6: Implement, monitoring and refresh.

A range of resources are available to increase the capability of workforce planners. These include:

  • Six Steps e-learning tool 
  • UK-wide Workforce Planning Competence Framework 
  • Workforce Planning Competence Tool 
  • Workforce Planning Development Menus

To find out more about Six Steps please get in touch with your local Skills for Health contact, or visit http://www.healthcareworkforce.nhs.uk/sixsteps for more detail.

Back to top