Evaluation of staff development: The essential ‘SCOPPE’

Abstract

Background: The development of staff through initial training followed by supervision and other forms of continuing professional development (CPD) is an increasingly emphasized part of professional life, and of modern healthcare and education systems (e.g., British Psychological Society, ; Department of Health, ; Quality Assurance Agency, ). In turn, evaluation is recognized to be an integral phase in the staff development cycle. However, how best to evaluate staff development activities is less apparent: different agencies, trainers and researchers each focus on their own idiosyncratic factors. Such diversity must hamper progress, by diminishing consensus material, diluting model development, and in disabling comparative evaluations.

Method: The present paper addresses this diversity problem by synthesizing a wide range of the relevant evaluation models and methods, in order to produce a theoretical consensus on what constitutes the fundamental or essential evaluation of staff development. The value of this SCOPPE framework is illustrated in relation to a sample literature (psychosocial interventions training of mental health staff in the UK).

Conclusions: This essential SCOPPE framework can highlight the strengths and weaknesses of current practice in staff development. Practice-improvement implications are drawn about the importance of undertaking essential evaluations.

Declaration of interest: None.

Keywords:

• Staff development
• clinical supervision
• evaluation framework
• training