Delegating and supporting HCSWs development
Career development can happen in different ways. Practitioners may wish to develop higher levels of responsibility, knowledge and skills (vertical progression) or to remain at the same level of the career framework but build on existing knowledge and skills to focus on a particular career pathway/pillar e.g. Facilitation of Learning or Leadership (horizontal progression). Being aware of and using the HCSW Development and Education Framework can help you to support HCSW colleagues in your team.
Delegation
Using the HCSW Learning Framework can help to define the scope of practice for the HCSWs in your team and make sure you are delegating appropriately.
The resource Making Delegation Safe and Effective: A Learning Resource for Nurses, Midwives, Allied Health Professionals and Healthcare Support Workers is accessible on Turas Learn and the Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council for Nursing and Midwifery (NIPEC) Decision Framework for Delegation of Nursing and Midwifery Tasks and Duties are tools to support safe and effective decisions to delegate or accept delegated tasks and duties.
Regulators, for example the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) or the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) provide guidance and standards relating to delegation which should be adhered to when considering HCSW development.
Support and supervision
It is important that you know the skills and competence of your team so that tasks can be delegated appropriately and safely to the right person. Regular appraisal meetings or personal development reviews will help support the development of individuals.
It is important that all staff know the limits of their own competence and have the confidence to say “no” if asked to carry out a task out with their competence, or that they feel is inappropriate or unsafe. Supervision and feedback must be provided appropriate to the task being delegated.
Supervision and feedback must be provided appropriate to the task being delegated and HCSWs should adhere to the HCSW Code of Conduct at all times.