Training and development policy

The Trust has a policy aimed at ensuring that all our staff are given the opportunity to continue their development. All staff receive an annual, formal appraisal. From this, an annual personal development plan sets out objectives tailored to each individual. 

Customer Service

To ensure our staff treat our client group with respect, dignity and provide an exceptional customer experience, the Trust provides the following customer service awards: 
Customer Service Apprenticeships
QCF NVQs
Technical Certificates
1-day master classes and 2 half-day essential front line skills (e.g. verbal and non-verbal communcations). 

Development is geared to the Institute of Customer Service National Vocational Standardsand benchmarks. We offer training on:

  • De-escalation techniques – dealing with angry or confused customers face to face
  • Body language and voice tone
  • How to listen and the importance of doing so effectively 
  • Customer reception (not receptionist skills)
  • Questioning skills – Extracting the right information
  • Information giving – checking customer understanding
  • Customer follow-up and feedback

Leadership and Development

We provide opportunities to ensure that team leaders, supervisors and managers are equipped with the knowledge and skills to support and manage their staff, whilst efficiently and effectively conducting Trust business.  The Trust has developed a leadership strategy that supports the development of staff to a very high standard.

Awards consist of: 

  • Leadership Certificate
  • Leadership Apprenticeship Level 2
  • Management Apprenticeship Level 3

Skills for Life, Numeracy Literacy and Functional Skills

Learning and Development offers skills training to:

  • Support staff whose English is a second language
  • Support staff who may not have been able to achieve qualifications in these areas previously and wish to undertake career progression
  • Support and develop care practitioners measurement and calculation skills, e.g.  drug calculations and fluid balance
  • Ensure patient safety, improve confidence in the workplace and enable succession planning within care pathways and onto Further Education. 

Awards include Basic Skills Certificates and Functional Skills.  Training is provided by a programme of learning or depending on an individual’s needs.