The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement (NHSII) struggled initially to persuade coaches to take up its free coaching supervision offer.
Take-up proved patchy because lots of coaches did not appreciate how it might inform their development. They preferred face-to-face supervision, delegates heard.
The NHSII’s new internal coach supervision strategy sees supervision offered through regional sets and by phone, inter alia.
“Interestingly, we had some real challenges despite the supervision being available at no cost. Success and take-up was hugely variable. People would give up their time to do coaching but supervision was one thing too many,” said Gil Schwenk of Bath Consultancy Group (BCG), the NHSII’s partner.
“What interested me was that people didn’t see the value of supervision informing their development and practice unless an issue presented. People struggled to engage because they preferred it face-to-face,” said Schwenk.
However, it is hoped that the new strategy will change how it is perceived. The NHSII’s Sue Mortlock said there was a strong business case for internal supervisors and that it was important to create a regional pull for supervision so that coaches would be working in a network. “This would help us change their mindsets so there would be a culture where people see supervision as central to what they do.”
The NHSII has appointed regional coaching leads, who helped define criteria for selecting the supervisors and to head hunt potential candidates. Criteria included at least 100-500 hours of coaching, 50-100 of which was carried out last year. Supervision of supervisors is built into the programme. The NHSII subsidises the programme centrally, with funding through strategic health authorities.
Supervisors commit to three hours’ supervision each month for two years. The NHSII is tracking emerging issues.
The first cohort of internal coach supervisors has come to an end and the second started in April. BCG was the chosen partner following a competitive tender.
“The irony of BCG’s Peter Hawkins having developed the supervision model from clinical supervision then selling it the NHS was not lost on us,” said Mortlock.
Coaching at Work, Volume 5, Issue 4