Induction
Overview
Orientation or induction is an invaluable tool to help focus personal development. Staff new to the NHS, or new to NHS organisations/roles, can be greatly assisted by understanding the environment they are working within and the options in that environment, for career progression and personal development.
Staff joining the informatics function in the NHS, at any level, will benefit greatly from some level of orientation and introduction to the structure of the organisation and the information management and technology structure within it.
Effective orientation takes place over a period of time and encompasses several different elements of working for the NHS. Orientation gives a new member of staff a valuable insight into the organisation and helps highlight personal and professional development needs to enable the individual to be an essential member of staff who enjoys a stimulating, fulfilling and rewarding career.
Informatics Application
To any new staff member, orientation is key to a successful start in an NHS career. Most organisations offer local induction through the HR department.
Informatics staff need specific orientation to help understand how the organisation works, what the information requirements of the organisation are and what IT systems are in place to support this.
Resources
Your HR department should provide a wide range of orientation services such as:
- in-house induction by HR
- departmental orientation and welcome events
- tours of the organisation and local partners
- introduction to shared services
- in-house courses such as health and safety and fire procedures
A schedule of informatics related activities needs to be arranged in addition to the offerings of the HR department, but it is an essential part of the induction process.
Activities should include visits to different departments, shadowing and targeted training, conferences and/or meetings.
Regional and national health informatics induction programs are thin on the ground, though one, the IM&T Trainee Scheme, has been available in the North West for many years through a regionally funded informatics support group, INFOcus.
Other resources:
- NHS Careers - their website has an extensive section on Health Informatics, including several useful leaflets describing some of the career options. You will find a more detailed section on the same site which explores areas such as pay, registration and offers some useful contacts.
- Health Informatics: an area of emerging opportunities - EQUALITEC Advancing Women booklet (2007)
- A Handbook of Ethics for Health Informatics Professionals - BCS booklet describing how health informatics staff should behave (available for download)
- UK Health Computing: Recollections and Reflections - a history of health informatics produced by the Health Informatics Forum of the British Computer Society (BCSHIF). Copies can be ordered, together with copies of the monthly HINow journal, through www.bcshif.org.
- The NHS in the UK 2007/08: a pocket guide - a guide to the NHS covering NHS structures, finance, quality and partnerships