Message from Lisa Ayers, HSST Training Programme Director
Welcome to the November Edition of the HSST Monthly Memo. I just want to say a massive thank you for all of the hard work you have continued to do during this time. The challenges of this second lockdown and ongoing demands at work have been huge, so please take care of yourselves during this time and access the links below on health and well-being if you feel they may be helpful.
The option for COVID related interruptions remains open via the form on OneFile. I am happy to chat to you individually about the options for interruptions if you have any questions.
The HSST Research Project Abstracts online have generated lots of interest. Just a reminder if you missed the first call and are now in the position to submit your abstract, please do so using the link below by 30th November.
Applications for interruption
In light of the ongoing impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on training we are offering an opportunity to request a formal, approved interruption to your training, that will then extend your completion date.
We appreciate that, as many HSST trainees work in senior roles and are likely to be called upon to support clinical services or may be redeployed to provide support elsewhere, this may mean there is limited or no time to train. We want to try and support all of our learners as far as possible and to reassure you that the School is working hard with your education providers to ensure that we take account of the impact the pandemic is having on everyone.
We also appreciate that there will be significant variability across the cohorts and different specialist areas and so some trainees may feel that an interruption is not required. We are happy to try and support all trainees to continue to train and complete their programmes as planned where it is safe and possible to do so.
Click here to find out how to apply for an interruption (Expired link)
HSST Train the Trainer goes online
If you have any members of staff that will be new to the role of workplace supervisor and will be taking responsibility for a HSST trainee, this event is essential and is part of the accreditation process. The event will cover the following topics:
- An introduction to the HSST
- The role and responsibilities of the workplace supervisor
- Assessment of work-based evidence and providing feedback
- Using the functions and features in the OneFile e-portfolio
- Supporting trainees throughout the programme
- Having an awareness of equality and diversity as an educator
The online HSST Train the Trainer event will be delivered as two live broadcast webinars taking place next month.
- Webinar 1: Thursday 3rd December 2020 at 2pm: An Introduction to the HSST
- Webinar 2: Thursday 10th December 2020 at 2pm: Work-based Activities.
Each webinar will last a maximum of 2 hours. For accreditation purposes, you will need to attend both webinars to obtain your HSST ‘Train the Trainer’ completion certificate. You will also get a certificate of attendance for each individual webinar.
If you are interested in joining these events, please contact the School nshcs.assessment@hee.nhs.uk
Click here to find out more about our online Train the Trainer events (Expired link)
Guidance resources about how to use OneFile
We have published a number of guidance resources about how to use OneFile in the Knowledgebase on the School website. There are different collections of guidance for trainees, training officers and assessors.
Click here to view the OneFile guidance in our Knowledgebase (Expired link)
Additionally, the Knowledgebase contains a growing collection of FAQs about using OneFile.
The most frequently-asked question we receive is:
Q) My submission has been signed off by my assessor, but my competency/ assessment is still showing as ‘Red’ in my portfolio.
A) It is most likely that your assessor did not correctly sign off your submission. In most cases this means the tick-box(es) at the top of your submission, where you indicate the competency/assessment relating to this submission, was left unticked by the assessor. Please ask your training officer to unlock your submission, so that it can be re-assessed with the correct boxes ticked.
Click here to view the OneFile FAQs in our Knowledgebase
Take part in a promotional project for informatics specialisms
Health Education England (HEE), are developing a repository of case studies from people who’ve developed their careers in informatics. They are particularly looking for a diverse range of people to take part – both in terms of protected characteristics, but also in terms of where they are in their careers (as quite often case studies focus on those in very senior positions, which might not be aspirational to everyone).
Are you are interested in helping with this project? If so, please get in touch with us by Wednesday 25th November by emailing: nshcs@hee.nhs.uk
Click here to find out how you can take part in this project
Supporting your health and well being
Managing your own health and well being effectively is a hugely important aspect of completing your training successfully and something that you should be mindful of throughout the programme.
During your training, you will get support from a variety of people/organisations. It will be important that you work with all of the education providers involved in order to maximise your training experience and to access the right support where it is needed. There are a number of resources you can access which may assist you in managing your health and well being.
Click here to read more about the support resources available to you
Freedom to speak up in healthcare in England programme
The National Guardian’s Office works to make speaking up become business as usual to effect cultural change in the NHS. The office leads, trains and supports a network of Freedom to Speak Up Guardians throughout health in England.
The National Guardian’s Office have launched a training programme available to everyone wherever they work in healthcare and explains in a clear and consistent way what speaking up is and its importance in creating an environment in which people are supported to deliver their best. It will help you understand the vital role you can play and the support available to encourage a healthy speaking up culture for the benefit of patients and workers. The training is divided into three parts. Speak Up. Listen Up. Follow Up.
Click here to access the freedom to speak up in healthcare training programme
The Healthcare Science equality, diversity and inclusion people survey
We are working with the Chief Scientific Officer Office in England to understand your lived experiences working as a Healthcare Science Professional in the NHS and to gather your suggestions on ways to support all our Healthcare Science colleagues to feel valued and respected for their contributions regardless of background.
We are inviting all trainees and training officers based in England to take part in the Healthcare Science equality, diversity and inclusion people survey. This is an all Healthcare Science people survey specifically designed to gather lived experiences of staff from all backgrounds, across all bands and all career levels from new entrants through to leaders in Healthcare Science. Your responses are completely anonymous and will be used to inform Healthcare Science people equality, diversity and inclusion strategy. The survey closes at the end of November and takes 15 minutes to complete.
Click here to take the equality, diversity and inclusion survey (Expired link)
The National Education Training Survey (NETS)
The HEE National Education and Training Survey (NETS) 2020 runs throughout November (3rd-30th). The NETS gives you the opportunity to say what you think about your clinical placement experience. It allows you to say both what you liked and what you think could be improved. This year, as students may be undertaking clinical placements during pandemic surges, the survey provides an additional opportunity to understand their experience and any impact on the quality of training. The survey only takes 10 minutes to complete and your experiences will help to shape education and training for current and future cohorts of trainees.
Click here to take the National Education Training Survey. (Expired link)
Oriel application system update
Oriel, the application system used in recruitment to the STP training programme, has been updated and a new version (Oriel 2) is now in use. If you wish to save any information you have stored on the system this must be done before Monday 4th January 2021.