People and Leadership
Gate One overhauls training curriculum to transform NCL ICB workforce, enhancing capability and staff morale.
Due to the imminent roll out of an ambitious new Population Health and Integrated Care Strategy, the North Central London Integrated Care Board (NCL ICB) restructured and identified a need to enhance its transformation portfolio, reflecting a significant change in approach for the entire organisation.
Following the restructure, several different teams were streamlined into one Transformation Unit and the NCL ICB established three key objectives:
- Simplify and standardise the workforce’s approach to transformation to streamline delivery methodology, consolidate documents, and embed the appropriate training to empower staff to conduct future training rather than rely on an external resource.
- Develop a common and continuous improvement culture to empower teams to thrive.
- Address low staff morale in an environment where staff feedback consistency revealed that more investment in learning and development was required.
Gate One was appointed to scope, design and deliver a capability development programme that would train and upskill staff in core elements of transformation and change. Over 9 weeks, 72 NCL ICS employees participated in a four-module training course, the first of its kind at the ICB. Not ‘just another training programme’, this was a long term upskill initiative to help ICB to continue staff development without the need of a consultancy.
Regular feedback loops and co-design with NCL staff made them feel heard and valued, and this empathetic approach helped to build ICB and shift perceptions, whilst also showcasing the organization’s commitment to staff development. The final two weeks of the project were focused on upskilling the ‘train the trainers’, the experienced members of staff that were chosen to deliver the training after project completion. This was done via smaller sessions, drop ins and 1:1s. These sessions focussed on content as well as the softer skills needed to successfully deliver effective communication, facilitation techniques, and managing resistance.
The course was also simplified so that it could be delivered to new members of staff with no change and transformation experience e.g. graduates, nurses and clinicians transitioning from practice.
This resulted in several benefits for the NCL ICS:
- Enhanced staff capability and confidence, equipping them with practical skills for impactful change.
- Eight ‘Trainers’ graduating with the ability to train the workforce, ensuring long-term sustainability.
- Streamlined learning resources, reducing tools and templates from 130 to 30, ensuring clarity and efficiency.
- A capability assessment tool for managers to quickly identify development areas.
- Empowered internal leadership through a ‘train the trainer’ model, reducing dependency on external consultants.
- Improved employee engagement and morale with a tailored learning and development programme.
- An enhanced ability to deliver the Population Health Strategy, improving the health and wellbeing of 2.5 million residents.
This transformation process has also reaped significant financial benefits, saving the NCL approximately £1.325m over 2 years by taking this in-house. As a result, they are now looking to get the course accredited and rolled out to other ICBs across the country, developing a new service capability and revenue stream.
View the Gate One profile in the MCA Members Directory.