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Hospital Pharmacist
Vol 11 No 10 p405
November 2004

DoH publishes Knowledge and Skills Framework

The Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF), the system which underpins career progression with Agenda for Change, has been published.

The KSF describes the knowledge and skills that staff need to apply in their work in order to deliver the required level of service. The KSF consists of six core dimensions and 24 specific dimensions (see panels). Each role will be assigned all six core dimensions and probably no more than seven specific dimensions. Each dimension has 4 levels, indicating the point on the scale which the employee is expected to work at.

Core dimensions

· Communication
· Personal and people development
· Health, safety and security
· Service improvement
· Quality
· Equality and diversity

Examples of specific dimensions

· Promotion of health and wellbeing and prevention of adverse effects to health and wellbeing
· Provision of care to meet health andwellbeing needs
· Information processing
· Procurement and commissioning
· People management
· Products to meet health and wellbeing needs

Agenda for Change pay bands have two gateways — at these points staff must show that they meet the requirements of the KSF to continue receiving annual pay rises. The foundation gateway is reached after one year in a role. The second gateway is situated towards the top end of the band, and successfully passing through this point will put employees in a position to apply for jobs in the next band.

Richard Cattell

Richard Cattell: Become familiar with the contents of the KSF

“I would encourage everyone within the NHS to become familiar with the contents of the KSF”, said Richard Catell, director, South West Medicines Information and Training. He added: “For pharmacists, one of the early implementer sites, with the support of the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists (GHP), has constructed some indicative KSF outlines for posts. These outlines, with some general guidance on implementation, will be available via the GHP website soon.”

The ballot of members of the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists to approve or reject Agenda for Change was under way when Hospital Pharmacist went to press. The ballot is organised by the trade union Amicus for all its NHS staff. A futher ballot is planned in the future to consider the terms of unsocial hours payments, which have not yet been finalised.