§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what qualifications short of professional training are available to health care assistants and unqualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff. [37379]
§ Mr. HuttonExtending the skills, potential and careers of NHS staff is a fundamental part of the NHS Plan and "Working Together—Learning Together, a Framework for Lifelong Learning for the NHS". Copies of these are available in the House of Commons Library. Decisions on training are taken by individual staff and local NHS organisations in the light of local, national service frameworks and NHS Plan priorities.
285WThe Learning and Skills Council (LSC), established in April 2001, is responsible for overseeing, planning and funding post-16 education and training in England. The NHS in England is increasingly taking advantage of the full range of national education and training frameworks, particularly national vocational qualifications (NVQs). Healthcare assistants and unqualified nursing and midwifery staff generally undertake NVQ levels 2 and 3 in Care.