Plymouth elearning company shortlisted for top award

Online training for the NHS created by a Plymouth company has been shortlisted for a leading award, after saving £200,000 for the health service in just three months.

Elearning business, Sponge UK, based at Plymouth Science Park, worked with Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust to transform 13 compliance topics into high quality elearning modules.

The project has been shortlisted for a Training Journal (TJ) Award in the category of Best Public Sector Programme.

The NHS Trust wanted to maintain safe services, reduce training costs and release time back into direct care, while making the elearning as engaging as possible.

Using the latest technology and techniques, Sponge UK created a series of elearning modules that a survey of Trust employees rated as ‘highly improved’ compared to previous training.

Louise Pasterfield, Managing Director at Sponge UK, said: “Southern Health should be commended for taking a forward-thinking approach to statutory and mandatory training in the NHS. They took a conscious decision to aim for the highest standards and make their compliance training both accessible and appealing for staff. I’m pleased that this pioneering project has been recognised and shortlisted for this award.”

In the first three months of its implementation, the new elearning has achieved time and cost savings worth £200,000. Over the five-year life of the project, the Trust expects to achieve savings worth around £1.5m.

Southern Health covers much of Hampshire and beyond and is one of the largest NHS Trusts providing community, mental health, learning disability and children’s services in England.

Stuart Harris, Development & Training Business Manager at the Trust, said: “Our modern take on elearning design has delivered cost benefits whilst improving the quality of the learning experience. Our core aspiration was to deliver the same learning outcomes but in a more memorable way. Introducing aspects like gamification for the first time felt like a brave step forward, thankfully staff have responded really well, rewarding our decision to take the plunge.”

The elearning covers the most requested compliance topics including health and safety, infection prevention control, safeguarding and the Mental Health Act.

Where the subject matter is appropriate, elearning games are included. The module on infection prevention control features a hand-washing challenge to help employees understand best practice hygiene techniques.

Video-based modules are used for more sensitive topics like safeguarding and equality and diversity.   

The Trust will continue to run face-to-face training for other topics where appropriate.

The TJ Awards are one of the leading accolades in the training and development sector, and reward excellence, innovation and best practice across the industry.

The 2016 shortlist was announced on August 5 and the winners will be revealed at a gala dinner on December 6 at The Brewery in London.