Clinical supervision models
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Clinical supervision establishes a formal process of support, reflection, learning and development that is of benefit to both newly registered and experienced health professionals by supporting their individual development.
Key points
- This article showcases how different supervision models for registered healthcare professionals can be used to help develop the NHS workforce.
- In June 2023, the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan highlighted how a continuous approach to the development of staff skills, knowledge and expertise is vital to the provision of high-quality care, maintaining professional registration, and ensuring staff have rewarding careers.
- The plan emphasises that it is a core responsibility for all employers to ensure staff have access to continuing development, supportive supervision, and protected time for training.
- To supplement local employer investment for staff continued professional development (CPD), the plan commits to continuing national CPD funding for nurses, midwives and AHPs. The operation of which will be kept under review, to ensure subsequent funding is in line with workforce growth and inflation, well targeted, and achieving the desired outcomes.
- The plan encourages employers to create an environment where staff are supported in their careers and where there is equality of access to learning and development opportunities. It highlights how NHS organisations have a role in ensuring available career pathways, frameworks and training opportunities and that there are plans in place to optimise the uptake of apprenticeships.
- It sets out good practice by stipulating that line managers should hold regular conversations with individuals about learning and development opportunities and career progression.
Overview
This article is in line with the aims of NHS England’s Long Term Workforce Plan which highlights how NHS staff need to be supported to meet their full potential. Clinical supervision establishes a formal process of support, reflection, learning and development that is of benefit to both newly registered and experienced health professionals by supporting their individual development.
Clinical supervision models
There are multiple different clinical supervision models that can be considered which will be suited to different team dynamics and organisations. We aim to outline some of these models, providing a basis for employers to consider the implementation of a clinical supervision model in their own workplace.
Benefits
Some of the key benefits of clinical supervision include:
- improved patient care through increased knowledge and skills
- reduction in stress levels and complaints, and an increase in staff morale
- increased confidence and a reduction in burnout and emotional strain
- increased knowledge and awareness of potential solutions to clinical problems
- creation of new nursing roles, such as professional nurse advocates (PNAs) and legacy nurses.
Implementation
There are some practicalities to consider when implementing clinical supervision, and it is important that the supervisor and supervisee agree:
- the aim of clinical supervision and the process used
- the expectations from the supervisor and supervisee roles.
You will also need to consider how clinical supervision is implemented and delivered:
- face to face/virtual learning
- one to one/group, interprofessional model of learning
- structured framework and documentation
- responsibility of organising meetings (voluntary/optional versus pre-booked/mandatory)
- pre-meeting planning, such as supervisee reflection
- content of supervision, what is appropriate/not appropriate to discuss
- recording the supervision, and responsibility of documentation
- confidentiality, which needs to maintained at all times.