Education Collaborative

The Education Collaborative has been a key programme of work supporting the education, training, and career development of the health and care workforce across Birmingham and Solihull (BSol) for the last eight years.

It will continue to address the non-medical undergraduate workforce for nursing, midwifery, and AHPs, but extends its remit to support delivery of the education and training for all non-medical undergraduate trainees (except dentistry) and elements of the ICS 10 People Functions and responding to system priorities.

The benefits to the system include:

• A cohesive oversight of workforce education, demand and capacity across the ICS
• A collaborative and consistent approach between education and placement providers
• Productivity gains through streamlining approaches across education providers
• Ensuring a cohesive approach and oversight across NHSE funding sources
• Standard governance and oversight across delivery of system education objectives.

It is expected that the Education Collaborative will also be an integral part of responding to education and training elements of the NHS Long-term Workforce Plan and the BSol workforce diagnostic report.

The EC has many work streams; that require collaborative working across AEI’s/FE’s/schools/communities and employers with the aim of developing the health and social care workforce both now and in the future. Delivering a workforce that is responsive and able to meet the changing demands of the sectors.

All BSol partners have signed an Education Partnership Agreement and Data Sharing Agreement, and commit to a co-ordinated system wide approach to bids and pooling of resources. 
 

Data

The group triangulates data to enhance operations across the ICS including student recruitment, retention on programme, turnover, vacancy rates.
Working closely with NHSE data analyst to develop a Dashboard to inform planning.

Recruitment

EC works across BSol mediating/liaising between employers projected workforce needs and AEI/HEI’s to meet these needs.

Placements

EC brings together AEI’s/HEI’s and placement providers, to grow placement provision. Quality subgroup reviews data and survey responses. 

Oversight

The EC has oversight of profession specific faculties to support delivery of workplans aligned to local workforce plans and the NHSLTWP, mitigate risks and escalate as appropriate.

The EC is formed of organisations across Birmingham and Solihull representing the AEI’s (Adult Education Institutions) FE’s (Further Education), Trusts, Councils, Primary and Social Care Sectors. Currently our members include:

*AEI’s are Adult Education Institutions, often grouped with HEI’s, Higher Education Institutions. These organisations provide approved training which leads towards a recognised healthcare qualification enabling people to work in the NHS and broader Health and Social Care sector.

Take a look at the education collaborative structure here.

The EC reports directly into the BSol Integrated Care System and is supported by several Faculties, which are being uploaded and updated. Please check back in the future to learn more!