Tools
Types of planning tool
At a strategic level there are three core elements to workforce planning:
- Planning demand – ideally integrated with service planning
- Planning supply – ideally embracing all options for developing the workforce
- Developing action plans to minimise potential gaps between supply and demand.
Supporting these at an operational level are tools for implementing the action plan:
- deploying and rostering staff
- staff development and training management
- monitoring performance against the plans
Underpinning all elements of the planning process there must, of course, be good information systems. Without the ability to draw on the appropriate data any planning tool would be useless. This is illustrated in the diagram below:
The following sections of this paper look at the available tools under each of these headings and also give an assessment of where further development of tools is needed to fully meet the needs of the NHS.
In addition to tools specifically designed for the functions above there are also generic tools which can be used in relation to a number of the areas and software solutions providers who offer a number of planning tools generally linked to an underlying HR system or database.
The guide has been structured around these different areas covered by tools.