Patient and Family Support Team Leader Review
at NHS
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Healthcare
Bournemouth
Review Submitted: February 2022
Overall Rating
5 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
5/5
-
Overview of Role
5/5
-
Skills Development
5/5
-
Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
5/5
I am team leader for a team of 2 social workers, 1 bereavement counsellor and a therapy assistant, providing emotional and psychological support to palliative care patients, their carers/relatives and people experiencing bereavement. This includes all cancers, and palliative care conditions, and works in partnership with community nurses, therapy team and the inpatient hospice ward
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
I find the programme very enjoyable - I would honestly say that I use something from the programme every day. The Bud format is really accessible, and helps me keep track of my progress. I find the reminders on what needs completing very helpful and navigating the site is really easy. I find the content extremely relevant to my workplace and job role, and am finding that I am identfiying where I am calling on models or theories to support my work. It has helped build my confidence and I can really appreciate is' value
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
I have developed a lot of existing skills especially in terms of coaching, conflict management and operational management. It has increased my knowledge and existing awareness of authentic leadership, emotional intelligence, collaborative working and building a high-performing team. I feel it has been very valuable to learn more about change management processes as part of my service development role
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
5/5
The structure is really well planned and put together. I can see how the modules fit together/ lead into each other in a logical way, and how they build to make a complete picture of the learning materials. I like the fact that it is arranged in 'bite sized chunks' so it feels manageable, but having the dashboard to get a sense of overall progress is very motivating - I can see where and when I am meeting my learning goals
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
Not as much as I would like, as I work for the NHS and Covid has greatly affected how we do our jobs and deliver the service; it has also highlighted significant ways that we need to change to adapt from this crisis. This programme has really helped me understand organisational culture, and inspired me to want to innovate new ways to improve.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
5/5
Great support - always very motivating, and provides high quality, constructive feedback. I have found them to be very flexible and understanding when discussing how my busy and challenging workload affects my progress, and I have always felt listened to and that they have worked in partnership with me. They have made helpful suggestions and supported me to develop and explore areas of my learning when needed.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
It has helped me immeasurably - I have been able to identify my strengths and weaknesses, and form tangible goals (especially using the SMART model, and tools such as SWOT, PESTLE, stakeholder analysis etc). I have a very complex team to manage, so having some theories, models and tools to support me through this programme has been really helpful. It has improved my confidence, helped me to become more reflective and to try out new skills.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
5/5
These are greatly reduced currently due to the Covid-19 situation - working at a palliative care unit with extremely vulnerable patients means that we are not allowed to socialise too much as part of our working day. However, it has lead to us exploring virtual events and alternative ways of attending extra curricular social events, which has been a positive learning curve
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend NHS to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Great programme! Easy to navigate the Bud site, the graphics and format are really creative and designed to support the user. It keeps me on track and is enjoyable to use, it is also a very reliable platform that you can connect with 24/7 if needed. My tutor is very supportive, knowledgeable and gives good quality constructive criticism, which helps me grow and develop. I have found the content extremely relevant to my role and have enjoyed the level of depth of the learning alongside practical experience. It's a great balance.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to NHS?
Definitely would recommend. I have really thrived with the support from Paragon, and I can see the progress I have made. It has helped me improve and build confidence across the board, and it is the ideal way of working if you enjoy the balance of practical/hands on experiential learning with taught modules and theoretical content.
