National Statutory and Mandatory Training Programme

NHS Employers has joined the Health and Safety Executive, the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) and the City and Guilds in supporting three e-learning packages produced by the NHS Core Learning Unit.

The three modules that form part of the Statutory and Mandatory Programme are:

• fire safety awareness
• health and safety awareness
• manual handling.

The content of these modules is suitable for annual updates and refresher training and is suitable as part of the induction of new starters.

The Statutory and Mandatory Programme will help to improve the standard of care and service delivery across the health and care sectors. The programme aims to ensure that:

• staff and organisations are compliant with relevant regulations and guidelines - both local and national
• workplace risks are assessed and minimised
• negligence, accidents and incidents are reduced
• patient, service users, visitors and staff are safer.

The programme is standardised, endorsed, national, accredited and supports Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts (CNST), Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) and Standards for Better Health.

The core component of each module will be delivered in an e-learning format and will cover the basics of theory, key principles and core knowledge relating to the subject area. There will still be a need to provide additional face-to-face practical and work-based training to supplement the core modules.

Benefits for learners

• develop skills and knowledge that can be transferred across the health and care sector
• require minimised retraining as they move between organisations
• be able to engage with the subject areas at their own convenience as e-learning is the core of each module.

Benefits for organisations

• a standardised framework against which to deliver and assess mandatory skills
• a flexible means of getting staff to undertake mandatory training
• a cost effective delivery method with the possibility of reduced face-to-face delivery time; and minimised retraining as staff move from organisation to organisation
• the assurance of an accredited curriculum, mapped against key national standards that will build towards the KSF, Standards for Better Health, CNST requirements, therefore reducing organisational insurance burdens.

Further details regarding the links of the programme to KSF, Standards for Better Health and CNST can be obtained by contacting clpu@sysha.nhs.uk