NHS Improvement's capital funding bid process for workforce deployment systems is now open. This is a great opportunity for AHPs to be included in the development of trusts workforce planning and deployment systems and will be a significant step forward in ensuring that the AHP contribution to patient care is visible.

The suite of documents relating to workforce deployment systems and the capital funding process has been advertised widely to HR Directors and Chief Information Officers and is available to access via the NHS Improvement website.

The bidding window closes at midnight on 24th September.

The NHS Long Term Plan committed that “by 2021, all clinical staff working in the NHS will be deployed using an electronic roster or e-job plan”. The Meaningful use standards (MUS) and associated Levels of attainment (LOA) equips providers with best practice standards for use of workforce deployment systems. There are five levels of attainment (0-4), where level four indicates optimal use of job planning and rostering system functionality.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has committed capital funding to accelerate NHS providers’ utilisation of workforce deployment systems. Advanced use of workforce deployment systems is associated with efficient workforce deployment, a high-quality service and value for money. Assurance that the right teams are in the right place, at the right time, collaborating to deliver high quality care, is a key component in delivering efficient and effective patient care.

Applications will be considered against the following lots:

Lot 1 first time adopters

Funding proposals to introduce e-job planning and/or e-rostering to a single or multiple clinical workforce group(s), with priority given to providers who have yet to procure either software system.

Lot 2 advanced e-job planning – demand and capacity

Proposals will include the development of advanced e-job planning functionality to support capacity and demand planning and other standards associated with high LOA.

For more information: https://improvement.nhs.uk/resources/advancing-levels-attainment-e-rostering-and-e-job-planning/ and https://improvement.nhs.uk/resources/allied-health-professionals-job-planning-best-practice-guide/