Annex A: Terms of reference
The following terms of reference were agreed by the
Health Committee on 8 November 2011:
The Committee will examine the Government's plans
regarding healthcare education, training and workforce planning.
Consideration will be given to whether, and how, the proposals
will ensure:
- the right numbers of appropriately
qualified and trained healthcare staff (as well as clinical academics
and researchers) at national, regional and local levels;
- that training curricula
reflect the changing nature of healthcare delivery, including
the medico-legal context;
- that all providers and commissioners
of healthcare (both NHS and non-NHS) play an
appropriate part in developing the future workforce;
- multi-professional and multidisciplinary
leadership and accountability (encompassing the full range of
healthcare professions, specialties and grades) at all levels;
- high and consistent standards
of education and training;
- that the existing workforce
can be developed and reskilled for the future (through means including
post-registration training and continuing professional development);
and
- open and equitable access
to all careers in healthcare for all sections of society (by means
including flexible career paths).
With these key themes in mind, the Committee will
look at:
- plans for the transition
to the new system, up to April 2013;
- the future of postgraduate
deaneries;
- the future of Health Innovation
and Education Clusters;
- the role of the Secretary
of State for Health in the new system;
- the proposed role, structure,
governance and status of Health Education England (including how
it will take on the roles of Medical Education England and the
Professional Advisory Boards), and its relationship to professional
regulators and to the other parts of the new NHS system architecture;
- the proposed role, structure,
status, size and composition of local Provider Skills Networks
/ Local Education and Training Boards, including how plans for
their authorisation by Health Education England will address issues
relating to governance, accountability and potential or perceived
conflicts of interest, and how the Boards will relate to Clinical
Commissioning Groups and the Commissioning Board;
- how professional regulators,
healthcare providers and commissioners, universities and other
education providers, and researchers will all participate in the
formulation and development of curricula;
- the implications of a more
diverse provider market within the NHS;
- how the workforce requirements
of providers of NHS and non-NHS healthcare will be balanced;
- the role and content of
the proposed National Education and Training Outcomes Framework;
- the role of the Centre for
Workforce Intelligence;
- the roles of Skills for
Health and Skills for Care;
- the role of NHS Employers;
- how funding will be protected
and distributed in the new system;
- how future healthcare workforce
needs are being forecast;
- the impact of people retiring
from, or otherwise leaving, healthcare professions;
- the place of overseas educated
healthcare staff within the workforce;
- how the new system will
relate to healthcare, education, training and workforce planning
in the other countries of the UK; and
- how the public health workforce
will be affected by the proposals.
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