Launched in April 2021, the Association of Professional Healthcare Analysts’ (AphA) mentorship programme is designed to connect mentors and mentees across the NHS and public sector. Aligning to AphA’s professionalisation and networking strategies, this analyst-specific programme will contribute to the organisation’s aim to develop and strengthen a sense of community and shared learning among healthcare analysts.
The programme is free of charge to all AphA members. Based on details shared in the application process, AphA carefully matches mentees with a suitable mentor. Over the course of 4-6 months mentees can work with their mentor to gain practical advice, encouragement and support, learning from the experiences of their mentor and increasing their social and analytical confidence. For mentors, it’s a chance to get involved in an exciting analyst-led programme, create new networks and share their skills, with support and guidance from ApHA and fellow mentors along the way.
AphA provide training to would-be mentors, including how to follow a five step framework, and have made a suite of documents available on their website that both mentors and mentees can use to record agreed actions, outcomes and feedback.
Starting out as a pilot, the programme has already given a number of analysts the opportunity to take part and share their feedback, helping AphA understand how the programme could be developed to provide the best possible experience to its members. Both mentors and mentees are encouraged to openly share their thoughts, questions, and suggestions.
Feedback from participants
Mentees
“Having the help of a mentor, especially one outside of your own organisation, provides a new perspective on the area being studied. Having a regular session booked in the calendar was a useful incentive to progress the work, which wouldn’t have happened otherwise. I wouldn’t have achieved my goal without the scheme and the skills I learnt can now be developed further, which will be a benefit to both myself and my organisation.” David Hughes, mentee from August 2021 – February 2022
“This mentorship has provided clarity of purpose for me. I have increased my ability as well as exploring the ideas I had. Those ideas went from daydreams to a structured goal plan that I have started to pursue. I now have a good idea of where I will be in 3-5 years’ time. This has also opened me up to the many training opportunities available to help me pursue my goals. There is a vast number of resources out there if you care to pursue them.” Duro Owodunni, mentee since September 2021
“The programme exceeded my expectations. Tom was a great match [as a mentor] for me. His perspectives and different ways of looking at issues I am facing has helped me a lot. I think getting assigned to someone who had the necessary experience in the field I needed a mentor in was great. The flexibility of the programme is also very helpful, allowing me to design and talk about the things I need help with.” Bruno Petrungaro, mentee since August 2021
Mentors
“It has been fantastic to understand my mentees’ current roles and ambitions. Having had mentor training in advance of this and the framework in place, we have been able to start to build a career plan and focused direction of travel to which they are now working.” David Howell, mentor since September 2021
“It was nice to see my mentee develop in confidence and stretch herself to apply to more senior roles during my mentorship with her.” Edward Watkinson, mentor since July 2021
If you’re interested in becoming either a mentor or mentee, sign up here today.