An innovative strategy to increase a professional workforce: The fast track initiative for health visitors in England

TY - JOUR

T1 - An innovative strategy to increase a professional workforce

T2 - The fast track initiative for health visitors in England

AU - Sayer, Lynn

AU - Barriball, K Louise

AU - Bliss, Julie

AU - Bakhshi, Savita

AU - While, Alison E

PY - 2016/1/1

Y1 - 2016/1/1

N2 - Objectives: Fast tracking is one strategy that organizations use to ameliorate workforce shortfalls by attracting new recruits, and accelerating their skills development and experience. In response to the Government’s target of rapidly expanding the number of health visitors in England’s National Health Service, the fast track initiative was launched to recruit newly qualified (fast track) as well as experienced (standard entry) nurses and midwives onto health visiting programmes. This paper evaluates the fast track initiative, from the perspective of fast track and standard entry students, practice teachers and health visitor managers. Methods: A mixed methods design was used comprising a questionnaire survey (n¼71 students), semi-structured interviews (n¼37 students), telephone interviews (n¼13 managers) and six focus groups (n¼24 practice teachers). Data were collected between April 2012 and July 2013. Descriptive statistics, t-tests and the Pearson Chi-square test were used to analyse the quantitative data. The qualitative data were analysed thematically. Results: Motivations for health visiting as a career choice were similar for fast track and standard entry students, with career progression and interest in health promotion being key motivators. There was consensus that personal qualities and characteristics were more important than experience or qualifications. However, fast track students were significantly less confident about their public health competencies in leadership and management (p0.5). Conclusion: Fast tracking offers a useful recruitment strategy in order to expand the health visitor workforce, but longitudinal research is needed to confirm benefits such as retention and career trajectories.

AB - Objectives: Fast tracking is one strategy that organizations use to ameliorate workforce shortfalls by attracting new recruits, and accelerating their skills development and experience. In response to the Government’s target of rapidly expanding the number of health visitors in England’s National Health Service, the fast track initiative was launched to recruit newly qualified (fast track) as well as experienced (standard entry) nurses and midwives onto health visiting programmes. This paper evaluates the fast track initiative, from the perspective of fast track and standard entry students, practice teachers and health visitor managers. Methods: A mixed methods design was used comprising a questionnaire survey (n¼71 students), semi-structured interviews (n¼37 students), telephone interviews (n¼13 managers) and six focus groups (n¼24 practice teachers). Data were collected between April 2012 and July 2013. Descriptive statistics, t-tests and the Pearson Chi-square test were used to analyse the quantitative data. The qualitative data were analysed thematically. Results: Motivations for health visiting as a career choice were similar for fast track and standard entry students, with career progression and interest in health promotion being key motivators. There was consensus that personal qualities and characteristics were more important than experience or qualifications. However, fast track students were significantly less confident about their public health competencies in leadership and management (p0.5). Conclusion: Fast tracking offers a useful recruitment strategy in order to expand the health visitor workforce, but longitudinal research is needed to confirm benefits such as retention and career trajectories.

KW - Fast track

KW - Health visiting

KW - Recruitment

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84964067856&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/1355819615608889

DO - 10.1177/1355819615608889

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84964067856

SN - 1355-8196

VL - 21

SP - 83

EP - 90

JO - Journal of health services research & policy

JF - Journal of health services research & policy

IS - 2

ER -