HCSW national learning survey

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Information in respect of the 2024 national learning survey for healthcare support workers (HCSWs) across nursing, midwifery and allied health professions (NMAHP) in NHS Scotland.

Survey

THE SURVEY IS NOW CLOSED

Your guide to the national HCSW learning survey

This national learning survey seeks to understand Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions (NMAHP) Healthcare Support Worker (HCSWs) experience of learning and developing at work in NHS Scotland.  

HCSWs are a large and diverse workforce; collectively there are more than 23,500 HCSWs across nursing, midwifery, and allied health professions in NHS Scotland.  

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) carried out the national HCSW survey in 2011 and again in 2018, with both surveys receiving a great response from HCSWs.  However, many things have changed since the 2018 survey was conducted.  

HCSW roles continue to evolve and in recognition of the development, advancements, and changing landscape of HCSW roles and the spotlight that has been on HCSW role development as driven by the Scottish Government HCSW commission over the last three years, now is the time to revisit the national HCSW learning survey.  

NES is expanding the reach of the survey to not only gauge the views directly from NMAHP HCSWs but also seek to understand the views of managers and educators who are involved in supporting and facilitating HCSW’s learning.  

Who should complete the survey?

The survey should be completed by: 

  • Healthcare Support Workers in nursing, midwifery and allied health professions across acute and community settings in NHS Scotland including GP practices, health centres, prisons and blood transfusion service. 

The survey contains a section for completion by those who: 

  • line manage NMAHP HCSWs 
  • are involved in facilitating the learning of NMAHP HCSWs 

How do I access the survey?
Decorative

The survey is open from 3 July to 11 October 2024 and can be freely accessed online via laptop, tablet or mobile 

We would encourage managers to provide access to IT equipment and dedicated time for HCSWs to complete the national learning survey. 

How is the survey structured?

To plan future learning, development and education for NMAHP HCSWs across NHS Scotland we need to know more about: 

  • What sort of learning is currently available to you in your job 
  • What learning and qualifications you have already completed 
  • Your awareness of learning and development resources and opportunities available 
  • Whether you feel supported to learn at work 

For NMAHP HCSWs, the survey is divided over 4 sections: 

  1. About your work
  2. Your qualifications 
  3. Your learning and development 
  4. Awareness of NES resources and events

It should take about 20 minutes to complete.  All responses to the survey are anonymous. 

For managers and educators involved in facilitating the learning of HCSWs there is a specific section for your completion comprising 20 questions.  It should take about 10 minutes to complete. 

Resources to promote the survey and encourage completion

We have created a suite of recourses which health boards can use to promote the survey and encourage completion by NMAHP HCSWs, managers and educators alike.  The resources can be downloaded or viewed from the links below: 

We would encourage health boards to promote the survey as widely as possible.    

You may wish to hold local drop-in sessions or information events.  You may be able to allocate time within current HCSW learning and development programmes or training for completion of the survey.

What happens with the survey results?
analysis

NES will analyse the results from the HCSW learning survey and a national report will be produced and shared summarising the findings. 

Each health board will be provided with their own board specific survey results to support local planning and progression of HCSW learning and development. 

Contact
contact us

If you have any queries regarding the HCSW national learning survey, please get in touch with the team at 

HCSW@nes.scot.nhs.uk 

or 

@NES_hcsw