Articles

How fair is the KSF? — staff perceptions and concerns

By Aamer Safdar, MRPharmS, Andrzej Kostrzewski, MRPharmS, and Tony West MRPharmS

Pharmacy staff views on the potential impact of the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework on their daily practice were assessed in a recent study at a London hospital. This article describes the findings, and how staff and managers need to work together to minimise resistance to change

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Aamer Safdar is principal pharmacist lead for education and development, Andrzej Kostrzewski is senior principal pharmacist, education and development, and Tony West is chief pharmacist, all at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London.

Correspondence to Aamer Safdar at aamer.safdar@gstt.nhs.uk

Interviews

Staff were asked their opinion of the KSF in semi-structured interviews

SUMMARY

Agenda for Change is the most radical shake up of the NHS pay system since the NHS was established, applying to over a million staff. It involves adopting a new learning and development framework, the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF).

The KSF defines and describes the knowledge and skills which NHS staff need to apply in their work in order to deliver quality services. It provides a single, consistent, comprehensive and explicit framework on which to base review and development for all staff.

Recent articles have described the key themes of the KSF, using the KSF to assess competence and linking the KSF to continuing professional development. One trust described how it has implemented the KSF into its existing procedures in the pharmacy department.

Introduction of the KSF into daily practice will result in inevitable changes to the work of staff in all organisations, and every effort will need to be made to ensure that the framework is fair and transparent for all staff.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust has one of the largest pharmacy departments in the UK, employing over 300 staff. In 2002, it became one of the 12 early implementer sites for Agenda for Change, taking the national lead for pharmacy. This article will describe the background of how individuals deal with change, and the findings of research into staff perceptions of the KSF, conducted in the pharmacy department at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. It will focus on aspects relating to fairness when organisational change occurs.