The costs of learning: the policy implications of changes in continuing education for NHS

This article reports on research carried out under the Economic and Social Research Council's (ESRC's) Learning Society Programme. The program comprised 14 projects involving research into the learning society and the ways in which it can contribute to the development of knowledge and skills for employment and in other areas of adult life. The National Health Service (NHS) is the largest employer in the United Kingdom and over the last twenty years, the service has undergone major reorganisation. This organisational change has been accompanied by changes in the provision of education for healthcare staff. Most professional training at pre- and post-registration level for nursing and other professional staff is now provided by higher education institutions. In addition, the demand for continuing education by nurses and other healthcare staff is high due to national guidelines for nurses that require continuing education to maintain professional registration, and a general sense among other health professionals that participation in continuing professional education is necessary to maintain their professional standing. This article presents research involving interviews with a number of participants in post-registration continuing education courses and NHS managers. Specifically, the research examined how participants' continuing education was funded, whether they had release from work to attend courses, and the effect of course participation on their domestic and working lives. However, in this article, the authors focus on issues of release from work and funding only.

The publication from which this article is taken is indexed at TD/TNC 67.185. Other publications from the ESRC Learning Society Programme are indexed at TD/TNC 67.145, TD/TNC 67.152, TD/TNC 67.169, TD/TNC 67.176, and TD/TNC 67.192.

This article reports on research carried out under the Economic and Social Research Council's (ESRC's) Learning Society Programme. The program comprised 14 projects involving research into the learning society and the ways in which it can contribute to the development of knowledge and skills for employment and in other areas of adult life. The National Health Service (NHS) is the largest employer in the United Kingdom and over the last twenty years, the service has undergone major reorganisation. This organisational change has been accompanied by changes in the provision of ...  [+] Show more