Training activity information
Details
Update a capacity and contingency plan for a service using an appropriate tool to ensure sufficient staff and resources for patient safety
Type
Developmental training activity (DTA)
Evidence requirements
Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee​.
Reflection on the activity at one or more time points after the event including learning from the activity and/or areas of the trainees practice for development.
An action plan to implement learning and/or to address skills or knowledge gaps identified.
Considerations
- National guidance
- Stock and resource management
- Workforce planning
- Skill mix
- Cleanroom and isolator capacity
- Design and use of capacity planning tools
- Workforce and organisational development
- Forecasting: supply and demand
- Analysis of KPIs
- Contingency arrangements with outsourced services and/or external hospitals
Reflective practice guidance
The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.
Before action
- Which specific service’s capacity and contingency plan will you be updating?
- What are the goals of this plan?
- How does updating this plan relate to effective communication, applying capacity and contingency planning, and critically appraising practices?
- What would indicate that the updated plan effectively ensures sufficient staff and resources for patient safety?
- What is the current capacity and contingency plan for the service?
- What data do you have on service demand, staffing levels, and resource availability?
- Are there any known vulnerabilities or potential risks that the contingency plan needs to address?
- What are the relevant organisational policies or guidelines on capacity and contingency planning?
- What tools or templates are available for creating or updating such plans?
- What do you hope to learn about the process of developing and updating capacity and contingency plans in a healthcare setting?
- How will this activity improve your ability to analyse service needs and resource requirements?
- What insights might you gain into the importance of planning for unexpected events to ensure patient safety?
- Will you discuss the scope and requirements of the update with your training officer and relevant service managers?
- Will you gather all necessary data and information on service activity and resources?
- Will you review the current plan to identify areas for improvement?
- Will you familiarise yourself with the appropriate tools or templates for updating the plan?
- What are your initial thoughts on working with capacity and contingency planning? Do you feel confident in your ability to analyse data and identify potential risks?
In action
- How are you currently approaching the task of updating the capacity and contingency plan?
- What data and tools are you utilising?
- How are you assessing current capacity and potential future needs?
- What factors are you considering when developing contingency plans?
- Are you finding the data analysis or the development of contingency scenarios more straightforward?
- Where are you having to consciously consider potential risks and their impact on patient safety?
- Is your updated plan accurately reflecting current capacity and adequately addressing potential contingencies?
- Are you ensuring patient safety remains a central focus?
- Are you encountering difficulties in obtaining accurate data, forecasting future demand, or developing realistic and effective contingency measures?
- Are you gaining a better understanding of capacity planning principles, risk assessment in service delivery, or the importance of proactive contingency planning for patient safety?
- Are you applying your understanding of service management, resource allocation, or risk management frameworks?
- If your initial approach to data analysis or contingency planning is not proving effective, are there other methods or perspectives you could explore?
- Would it be helpful to discuss your plan with your supervisor or colleagues involved in service delivery and risk management?
- Are you confident in your ability to update a capacity and contingency plan within your current level of training, with a focus on patient safety?
On action
- What service did you focus on for the capacity and contingency plan?
- What tool did you use for this task?
- What data or information did you need to gather and analyse?
- What were the key updates or changes you made to the plan?
- What did you learn about capacity and contingency planning within a pharmaceutical service?
- How did this activity enhance your understanding of ensuring sufficient staff and resources for patient safety?
- What factors are critical when developing and updating these types of plans?
- Did you encounter any challenges in forecasting capacity or potential contingencies?
- How will this experience influence your approach to future capacity and contingency planning?
- What specific skills or knowledge related to resource management and patient safety will you focus on developing further?
- How can you contribute to maintaining effective capacity and contingency plans within your department?
Beyond action
- Has the capacity and contingency plan you updated been used in response to any unforeseen events since you completed the training activity? What were the outcomes?
- Have you been involved in further capacity or contingency planning for other services?
- Did your previous experience inform these activities?
- Have you discussed capacity and contingency planning with colleagues, perhaps comparing different approaches or tools?
- Has this activity enhanced your ability to apply capacity and contingency planning in practice and plan departmental work schedules?
- Can you provide an example?
- Are you more aware of the factors that can impact service capacity and the importance of having robust contingency plans for patient safety?
- How has this training activity contributed to your understanding of the principles of managing small teams within a health service department in relation to resource allocation and workload management?
- What did you learn about the process of data analysis, forecasting, and risk assessment in relation to capacity planning that will be valuable in future service management roles?
- How will you approach future capacity and contingency planning exercises, perhaps being more proactive in identifying potential bottlenecks or developing more comprehensive scenarios?
- Has this training activity highlighted the importance of effective communication and collaboration with colleagues when developing and implementing these plans?
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 3 |
Outcome
Practice effective communication with a range of stakeholders using a variety of methods. |
| # 4 |
Outcome
Apply capacity and contingency planning in practice and plan departmental work schedules. |
| # 7 |
Outcome
Critically appraise departmental practices and procedures and make improvements. |