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Life Long Learning Project
Foundation Stones - Annual Reviews, Personal Development
Planning
and the Knowledge and Skills Framework
The system of Annual Review (also known as Appraisal or Individual
Performance Review) has long been recognised within the National Health
Service as a valuable tool and part of organisational good practice.
Essentially Annual Review provides a process to assess the performance of
the individual, and the individual to discuss their progress in relation to
their given role, aspirations and development needs. Usually this takes the
form of an annual meeting between an individual member of staff and (most
likely) their line manager. There are other models of review, for example
group appraisal, though these are less commonplace and tend to be utilised
by specific staff groups, for example medical staff and executive level
managers.
Until recently, the application of this process has been in the domain of individual National Health Service organisations to adopt and develop. Whilst based on common principles, systems have been developed differently in each organisation. Consequently not all organisations and staff groups have utilised the opportunity to fully develop review systems.
This is all set to change with the introduction of the Knowledge and Skills Framework (NHS KSF) and the Development Review Process. This is part of the Agenda for Change reforms, which affect all staff in the National Health Service apart from medical staff, dentists and very senior managers.
The purpose is to provide a framework that can be used consistently across the NHS. It supports the development of individuals in the post they currently hold, and as their career progresses throughout their working lives. It also aims to facilitate the development of services so that they better meet the needs of patients and the public.
Within the Knowledge and Skills Framework each role within a service will have a KSF post outline, based on the six core dimensions which apply to all posts and the specific dimensions of the other twenty four that apply to their role. The post outlines will specify the level at which the person in that role is expected to operate and specific indicators by which this can be assessed.
The Knowledge and Skills Framework is applied through the Development
Review process (an annual review between manager and individual staff
member) whereby there is:-
• A joint review the individual staff members work against the demands of
the post as detailed in the KSF outline.
• Production of a Personal Development Plan identifying learning and
development needs and how these will be met.
• Agreement on how the learning and development necessary will be supported
by their Manager and
• Joint evaluation of the impact and application of the learning and
development undertaken at regular intervals.
Further Information
Teaching materials about appraisals & PDPs used by Life Long Learning Team
