Last week, the Healthcare People Management Association (HPMA) celebrated its 50th year with their annual conference and awards ceremony. The room was filled with people who go to work to make a difference and the atmosphere was buzzing.
NCIC was shortlisted for three awards, and came home with two of them.
The first award won was in the Healthdaq® Recruitment Team of the Year Award category. The submission focused on the New to Care approach and our volume recruitment events, which have now recruited well over 300 healthcare assistants. Some who have now gone onto train to become nurses. Out of 22 submissions, we came out on top due to the ‘passion’ and ‘dedication’ the team demonstrated in their interview.
As a result of the New to Care approach, all substantive healthcare support worker (HCSW) vacancies were filled within 12 months and additional bank HCSWs recruited and trained. Without this approach we wouldn't have been able to share our bank HCSW workforce with the council which has contributed to improving discharges and improving flow from the Trust. Five care homes now also benefit from using these staff.
Well done to everyone who was involved in organising and executing the recruitment days.
Secondly, we won an award in the Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) award for working smarter, presented by the Chief People Officer for Wales, for our shared workforce agreement which is in place with Cumberland Council. This initiative means that those on our workforce can pick up shifts within the council care homes around Cumbria.
Within the first 6 months and two care homes involved, the project meant that 18 additional beds were opened. One home removed agency use altogether, the other reduced agency by 40%. We are now supporting five Care Homes in this way.
Well done to all who made it possible.
Amanda Dunkley, Deputy Director of People Services, Finalist in the Deputy People Leader Awards category said: “I am immensely proud of the People Services team.
They continue to show commitment and dedication, not just to their day job, but to constantly improve and explore better ways of working, proven by these two awards.
“I hope that the awards serve as a reminder on hard days that what we do in our team, really does make a difference.
“Not only did we win two awards, but we also won the interest of Professor Michael West CBE, an internationally recognised expert in teamwork, leadership and culture, particularly in healthcare and is keen to learn more about our projects.
"Thank you and well done.”