Case Study: Launching Talent Management in Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System

The NHS Norfolk and Waveney (N&W) Integrated Care System (ICS) in the East of England have taken bold steps to address Talent Management (TM) at a system level. This case study explores the journey, challenges, and successes of implementing a new process across their system.

The beginnings of Talent Management in Norfolk and Waveney

The idea of a dedicated TM system within the N&W ICS was first considered as part of broader workforce development efforts with the first formal discussions taking place back in late 2022. System colleagues scoped out what TM might actually mean for the system and started to develop a framework of how they might approach this. Despite this early interest and ambition, the project faced delays due to financial pressures and internal challenges, which caused momentum to stall. However, the selection of the East of England region as a pilot site for the national TM strategy and model marked a turning point and this new challenge, supported by influential and motivated colleagues like Jane Payling, an instrumental leader for the East of England’s finance skills development, and Zoe Pietrzak, the Regional Finance Director, brought clarity, focus, and a permission to make this important investment in time as important as the technical and task based responsibilities. Jane’s support and leadership was particularly crucial in reigniting the energy and commitment of the region to this initiative for the East of England, setting the stage for what would become a collaborative and innovative approach to a new talent management process where the N&W ICS are joining her in shaping how that might look and feel going forward.

Collaboration and implementation

The pilot programme was not just about ticking boxes; it was about fostering a culture of collaboration and shared learning across the ICS. The N&W system recognised early on that the success of the TM initiative would depend on the active involvement of all senior leaders and staff, including those from outside the immediate ICS boundary, such as the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST). Whilst EEAST are not part of N&W ICS, they are geographically closely situated with shared ambitions, and as such it made sense to link together to expand opportunities for secondments, shadowing, access to different Trusts, etc.

Starting in April 2024, regular meetings were established with the Talent Management leads from the system where they began discussions and shaping ideas around a new process to support their ambitions to deliver the Talent Management programme. Initially these meetings focused on the East of England ambition to support Career Conversations and Talent Management strategy where ‘Equitably cultivating everyone’s best potential for the benefits of the NHS, with Talent Management that leaves no one behind’.

This started by establishing an ICS wide reporting process where they could identify on a quarterly basis our finance team by band and role natures allowing a single source, open and transparent insight over that of simply structure charts.

One of the first significant steps was conducting a baseline assessment to understand the current state of TM across the system. This involved a series of reports recording the levels of Appraisals and Career Conversations undertaken in the last 12 months, and open discussions that helped the ICS recognise how TM should be developed at the system level rather than a collection of separate organisations. This baseline assessment is reviewed on a quarterly basis against the latest position to track our progression against our planned ambitions where the achievement rate is never below 85%.

To support the progression of system-wide TM actions – and perhaps more importantly – a process has been established to identify individuals who may be ready for their next role, as well as roles that may become available within the next six months, assessed on a quarterly basis. The ambition is to build a pipeline and be prepared to address current development needs to fill future role opportunities.

These meetings have also served as forums for sharing insights, addressing challenges, and aligning on common goals beyond those of our original priorities for example on standardising study packages and the commencement of building a system wide Insight Programme to allow all finance staff the opportunity to spend a day in a system partner organisation to build both financial peer relationships and an understanding of other organisation aspects.

In short, these meetings marked the beginning of a system-wide effort to understand the finance staffing landscape, assess existing processes, and identify areas where talent conversations could be improved to ensure that everyone is given an opportunity that is both valuable and valued.

Getting people onboard

Engaging the workforce in the new TM approach was crucial. The system’s strategy focused on understanding the needs of staff across the region and ensuring that career and talent conversations were or will be happening consistently with well-informed and motivated engagement, in addition to traditional appraisals. This effort is being led by Emma Kriehn-Morris, Director of Commissioning Finance at N&W ICB who leads the TM programme for the system, along with the system TM leads being;

Jodi Martin Senior Strategic Finance Manager, Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust
James Grainger Head of Finance, N&W ICB
Thomas Woods Finance Business Partner, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
James Knott Financial Controller, Queen Elizabeth Foundation Hospital King’s Lynn
Sarah Willis Financial Management Accountant, James Paget University Hospital
Kunal Ruchaya Head of Corporate Finance, Norfolk Community and Care Trust
Lauren Smith Directorate Accountant, East of England Ambulance Trust
Ross Ashton Deputy Director of Finance, East of England Ambulance Trust.

To ensure well-led and well-received Career Conversations, a new Career Conversations survey toolkit is being developed. This tool is designed to support staff in the TM process by encouraging reflection on their motivations, behaviours, and career aspirations. The survey will be conducted in three stages, at 6 – 12-month intervals, allowing protected time for individual reflection, manager-supported discussions, and the identification of training needs with targeted support and career goals. The outcomes will be exported into a new TM database for the ICS to help identify future system-wide training needs and ambitions.

To make these conversations meaningful, the system recognised the importance of providing guidance and support to managers, which was explored to understand what was working well and what needed improvement in the talent conversation process. Resources and guidance on this will be made available by the TM team to the system to share with staff for the TM process which is scheduled to commence in the autumn after a series of organisational roadshows.

Challenges so far

Despite the progress so far, there have been some challenges such as an inconsistency in career conversations across the system. The pace of change was another significant challenge, as was the broad scope of TM beyond the regional initial ambitions which encompasses everything from attraction and recruitment to development and retention. NHS financial constraints added another layer of difficulty in the space of this being a priority, however colleagues leading the project including Emma and Jodi are committed to finding innovative solutions to continue driving this project forward recognising the real benefits to all in the finance community.

Another challenge was ensuring inclusivity in the TM approach. The system needed to make sure that all staff, regardless of their role or background, had access to the same high-quality career development opportunities. This meant rethinking existing processes, such as the annual appraisal system, which had previously included only a few questions about career aspirations and remained principally in the space of tasks delivery or setting. The goal was to encourage more meaningful and consistent career conversations across the system, separate to appraisals.

Success stories and next steps

Despite the challenges, the N&W system has started to see benefits from its TM implementation journey already. One of the standout achievements has been the system-wide support for staff mobility. By sharing apprenticeship opportunities and creating a supportive environment for career development conversations, the system has made it easier for staff to move within the NHS organisations in the region.

Another success has been the changes to study leave conditions for leavers, which were adapted to better support staff who are pursuing development opportunities across different NHS organisations without financial penalty. This policy change is a prime example of how the TM initiative has not only facilitated individual career growth but also contributed to a more agile and responsive workforce across the system.

The system has also been proactive in identifying future talent through models like Scope for Growth. This approach helps to pinpoint individuals who are ready for the next step in their careers, ensuring that the system has a pipeline of capable leaders and specialists. Each ICS partner organisation undertakes a review quarterly to ensure that these are both up to date and live ready for when identified opportunities arise.

Looking ahead, the N&W system is ambitious in its plans for the future. The TM group is preparing for a system-wide launch of the Career Conversations initiative in Autumn 2024. This launch will include the rollout of a comprehensive career conversation pack including the survey and process guidance, designed to help staff and managers through the TM process. The system also plans to build on the success of the pilot by sharing its findings and methodologies with other regions, potentially through showcase sessions and workshops at upcoming conferences and events. There is also a commitment to learning from others to ensure the best outcomes in the area of Career Conversations,

The emphasis will remain on collaboration, innovation, and adaptability – key ingredients that have driven the success of the TM initiative so far. The system is also looking to enhance shadowing opportunities across the system and explore a ‘Cooks Tour’ approach with an Insight Programme, where staff can periodically visit different parts of the system to gain a broader understanding of the NHS’s operations and build relationships with finance peers with whom they may not normally engage.

Despite these significant early steps, colleagues in the system have acknowledged that their TM journey is still in its early stages. The true measure of success will be the ongoing, consistent system-wide delivery of effective Career Conversations, along with the implementation of agreed supporting actions. The future assessment of these benefits will be exciting to observe!

Thank you to Emma Kriehn-Morris and Jodi Martin for sharing Norfolk and Waveney’s experience in implementing an approach to Talent Management that leaves no one behind. Their insights will undoubtedly be valuable for other NHS organisations on their own implementation journeys.

Learn more about The Talent Management Strategy and process here