AccessAcademy’s
PathFinder™ System
Enhances Data
Management and
Improves Administration
of HR, Learning
and Development
at Hillingdon
Primary Care Trust
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James Walters Human
Resources Manager
at Hillingdon Primary
Care Trust reviews
the impact that
the installation
of the PathFinder
system has had at
the PCT.
“In 2005
we identified a
requirement to strengthen
the mandatory training
provision. AccessAcademy
was chosen to provide
a system that could
meet these needs
because they offered
a cost effective
integrated solution
with upgradeable
functionality for
future development
and scalability.
The installation
of our PathFinder™ system
has provided us
with a cost effective
solution to our
integrated HR and
training needs.
The system is simple
to use, reliable
and tailored specifically
to the needs of
our trust. It’s
scaleable and the
system has the capability
to offer a much
wider range of benefits
in the longer term.
The system also
has the capability
to be easily integrated
with other key NHS
initiatives”
Christian Greenshaw,
MD at Hitchin based
workforce optimisation
specialists, AccessAcademy
added “We
began working with
the project team
for the Hillingdon
Health Economy a
combined venture
with Hillingdon
Hospital in May
2005 to provide
them with a training
management and booking
system to meet their
requirement to strengthen
mandatory training
provision. Their
remit widened however
during the implementation
phase at the request
of the PCT to include
a bespoke HR module,
as their existing
HR system did not
have the capability
to meet ongoing
needs, and they
wanted a system
with the ease of
use and functionality
of the PathFinder
training booking
system.
“The integration
of the new HR function
is very beneficial
as we now work from
one central data
source maintained
by HR and training
within their respective
areas but feeding
into one total workforce
package” continued
Walters. Employee
records are now
up to date and hold
the relevant information
due to our close
involvement in the
development and
build of the new
system. The availability
of accurate data
and the ability
to easily extract
data held within
the system through
the reporting module
has been really
beneficial in supporting
our workforce planning
activities. From
the level of reports
that we now get
from the system
we were able to
identify that in
one area of the
PCT almost 50% of
the workforce were
due to retire in
the next five to
ten years. With
the current freeze
on recruitment this
would have caused
immeasurable problems
longer term. However
I am now able to
take remedial steps
based on the supporting
data to ensure that
we have developed
a strategy to address
this issue.”
The reporting requirements
within the NHS are
continuously changing
and the integrated
reporting function
offers the PCT the
capability to make
these changes effortlessly.
Data can now be
automatically uploaded
as required for
interrogation by
the Strategic Health
Authority and the
Department of Health
which was a struggle
to achieve prior
to installing the
system.
The high levels
of automation within
the system have
reduced time spent
on administrative
tasks by up to 40%.
Prior to installing
the system specialist
resources were used
to manually input
data from a paper
based system to
meet reporting criteria – by
investing in the
new system this
is no longer required
and it is now a
simple procedure
which is carried
out within the department.
“The new
system meets all
the standards set
out in the authority’s
information security
policy and has full
audit trail capabilities
through its hierarchical
access structure,
added Greenshaw.
The system is hosted
on the authority’s
intranet on its
own dedicated server
and security is
managed by the Authority’s
IT department. AccessAcademy
have provided an
automated back up
facility in the
event of any loss
of data”.
The system provides
a full audit trail
of compliance training
to support any regulatory
reporting requirements.
A key responsibility
of the HR department
is ensuring that
all relevant professional
registrations are
kept up to date.
This is a mammoth
task but the new
system enables the
team to track registration
renewals much more
effectively.
“We are now
moving towards a
self service way
of working, continued
Walters, and beginning
to understand the
benefits of using
web based technology
to offer the department
improved functionality,
record keeping,
and data management.
The system has the
capability to offer
a much wider range
of benefits in the
longer term - including
learner access for
self learning, integrated
assessments, and
a virtual learning
environment to support
blended learning
and mentoring initiatives.
Our familiarity
and recognition
of the benefits
of using the PathFinder
system will pave
the way for the
forthcoming introduction
of other web based
systems within the
NHS such as the
ESR (Electronic
Staff Record), Choose
and Book, and the
EPS (Electronic
Prescription Service)”.
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