A report due to be discussed by a Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board committee yesterday (pdf) revealed the relatively low uptake of basic training courses amongst staff.
Overall, around 65% of staff have undertaken at least some compulsory and statutory training at Level 1 as of September 2021. This compares to a health board target of 85%.
Level 1 mandatory training includes – amongst other things – fire safety, resuscitation, infection control, manual handling, patient safeguarding and equalities.
In some areas, training levels are markedly low – particularly fire safety (53.2% of staff had undertaken training by September 2021) and resuscitation (41.5%). Only 68% of staff had undertaken training in infection control and 65.3% in safeguarding children.
The pandemic has been cited as a reason behind the low figures due to a slowdown in face-to-face training, but the report suggests it’s a long-standing problem.
“When compared to the six largest health boards in Wales, (Cwm Taf Morgannwg) is frequently found at the bottom of the league tables in nearly all compliance areas. The highest scoring health boards are scoring well, with 70% and 80% uptake in most areas.”
– People & Culture Committee Report
Of the three local authority areas within the Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board, compliance rates/competed training rates were lowest in Bridgend at just 55.6% of staff in September 2021.
To boost take-up, the health board has switched to e-learning wherever possible (this may not be suitable for things like fire safety and manual handling) and this has been made available to all new starters as of October 2021.
Additionally, posts subject to pay progression in October 2022 “will be required to complete 100% of their training, ensuring any barriers to completing compliance activities, specifically at level one, are addressed.”
