Thurrock Council wanted to upskill the broad base of the frontline health and care workforce to have more impactful conversations and support people to make healthier choices.
A particular priority was to ensure that groups experiencing health inequalities were better connected to relevant lifestyle services (like stop smoking, NHS Health Checks, and weight management).
SMG was commissioned to develop and deliver a two-day Motivational Interviewing (MI) skills training course to build the skills, confidence, and motivation of frontline staff to approach the conversations they are having with patients and residents slightly differently and to use tried and tested MI skills and processes that are known to work. The training incorporated the latest thinking on MI. Also, representatives from key local services inputted, explaining how best to refer people to them where appropriate.
The training was delivered to six cohorts of staff, running over two separate days. Over 70 frontline staff participated, which exceeded the target numbers set. Evaluation of the training highlighted a clear and positive impact on staff’s skills, confidence, and motivation, with over 90% of staff indicating that they intend to use MI skills in their day-to-day practice. Everyone responding to the post-course evaluation said that they would recommend the training to others.