Opinion

Providing healthcare assistants with better career opportunities NURSES’ DEPENDENCE on the skills and experience of healthcare assistants (HCAs) is increasing, but the level of guidance and supervision offered to HCAs is variable. While there is noteworthy work that addresses training and development opportunities for HCAs across the UK, many people are unaware of this in the wider European Union (EU). Equally, there is limited awareness in other EU countries of the UK’s HCA training and employment opportunities. Workforce planning is a complex issue with many variables, but by the year 2020 it is likely that there will be a significant shortfall of trained nurses across Europe. The pressures are already being felt as we try to meet expectations among nurses and members of the public of good and safe patient care. Nursing roles will continue to expand and we nurse leaders must plan to support them with well-prepared HCAs who have career satisfaction and career opportunities. The European Commission (Commission of the European Communities 2009) funded a three-year pilot project to examine the best education models and employment practices for HCAs in the EU member states. The aim was to identify how these could contribute to better career opportunities for HCAs and enhance their cross-border mobility in Europe. Expert network The contract for the pilot project was awarded to Contec, an organisation based in Germany that specialises in organisational development. The starting point was to establish a pilot network of experts in nursing education and regulation from across the EU to review and compare HCAs’ education and NURSING MANAGEMENT

Neil O’Connor

Jacqueline Filkins describes a project that recommends standardising education across the European Union

More HCA training will enhance support given to nurses

recruitment practices, map the different employment legislative frameworks, and make recommendations that can be applied across Europe. The knowledge, experience and goodwill of many experts from academia, practice, and national and professional bodies from EU member states helped to overcome the obstacles to attaining a common understanding of different terminologies and country-specific situations. Without them, it would have been difficult to arrive at mutually agreed recommendations for a European description of the future role of HCAs and their required educational standards. In November 2013, the pilot project’s outcomes were presented at a meeting in Brussels and the recommendations were formally released in July 2014. The recommendations are grouped into nine categories such as structure of HCA training, curriculum, registration,

competencies and mobility in the EU. Each category contains the justification for the recommendations as well as best-practice examples. These recommendations include: ■ HCA training should start after completion of national compulsory education, be aimed at level 4 of the European Qualifications Framework and lead to a recognised certificate or licence. ■ Training should enable HCAs to progress towards higher qualifications through lifelong learning. ■ HCAs should be registered through an organ of self-administration of the occupational group or a state agency. ■ There should be EU-wide recognition of an HCA training and education framework that supports free movement of HCAs in EU member states. Some of the recommendations contained in the final report are more difficult to achieve than others in the UK. A regulated approach to training that leads to the registration of HCAs still seems some time away, for example. Nurse leaders’ commitment and influence are needed to ensure that HCAs’ capabilities are recognised and developed so nurses receive enhanced support and, above all, that patient care becomes safer. Jacqueline Filkins is honorary president of the European Nurse Directors Association and a project partner of the European Union project to create a pilot network of nurse educators and regulators

Reference Commission of the European Communities (2009) Commission Decision of 6.8.2009 Concerning the Financial Contribution by the Community, for the Year 2009, towards a Pilot Project in the Field of Health Professionals. ec.europa.eu/health/workforce/docs/ decision6096_en.pdf (Last accessed: October 7 2014.)

Find out more Details of the EU-Project: Creating a Pilot Network of Nurse Educators and Regulators can be found at www.hca-network.eu November 2014 | Volume 21 | Number 7 13

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Providing healthcare assistants with better career opportunities.

NURSES' DEPENDENCE on the skills and experience of healthcare assistants (HCAs) is increasing, but the level of guidance and supervision offered to HC...
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