About Skills for Health
As the Sector Skills Council for the UK health sector, Skills for Health is funded by the four UK health departments in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales; the UK Commission for Employment and Skills; the education act regulatory bodies; and health sector employers and providers.
The 25 sector skills councils (SSCs) which make up the Skills for Business Network are licensed by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills in consultation with Ministers from the devolved administrations. Skills for Health was awarded its five year SSC license in May 2004. The Leitch Review and Skills Strategies across the UK have reinforced and repositioned the role of sector skills councils.
Each SSC has a sector 'footprint' and central goals to address skills gaps and shortages within its sector; improve productivity and performance; increase opportunities to boost skills; and improve learning supply.
Skills for Health’s sector footprint covers the entire National Health Service, and the whole of the independent and voluntary healthcare sectors across the UK - which collectively employ approximately more than two million people. The majority of occupations are linked to hospital activities and community health services, but the sector also includes general medical and dental practitioners and healthcare professionals working in nursing homes and private surgeries, and retail outlets such as pharmacists, opticians and self-employed practitioners.
The overarching remit of Skills for Health is to ultimately help improve health and healthcare by assisting the whole healthcare sector in developing solutions which deliver a skilled and flexible UK workforce.
Skills for Health’s specific aims are to:
- profile the UK healthcare sector workforce
- develop and manage national workforce competences across the UK healthcare sector
- influence UK education and training supply to meet healthcare sector needs
- improve the workforce skills of the UK healthcare sector
- work with partners to achieve these aims.
Further information about Skills for Health and its work can be found at www.skillsforhealth.org.uk
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