2Background and Reasons for Change

Consultation Paper

1Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a proposal for restructuring the Patient Data Department, provide the reasons for it, and to initiate a consultation on the proposal.

2Background and reasons for change

The current structure of the Patient Data Department has been in existence for many years with the exception of the successful introduction of Band 1 posts in 2005. However, the way in which the team is required to work and the tools that they use have changed and will change in a more significant way in the coming years. Standards of performance have also increased as has the complexity of the work being carried out. In order for PatientData to continue to provide an efficient and responsive service there is a requirement for change. The Bristol PCT Organisational Change Policy (which can be viewed on the PCT website) enables the organisation to address these changing service needs and requirements in a structured way.

The change is required as a result of specific reasons

• The migration of the Patient Registration System (Exeter) to the Personal Demographics System (PDS)
• The responsibility for tracing NHS numbers has been transferred from National Health Service Central Register to Patient Data Departments.
• In addition to tracing NHS numbers Patient Data also has to make informed and measured decisions to allocate NHS numbers to patients.
• To meet the future requirement where Patient Data will be the local authority on demographic data quality issues for the PDS, the PDS being used by all NHS organisations and one central record per patient.
• The requirement for a higher level of communication skills by some team members to explain complex processes and information requirements.
• To enable expertise to be developed in a reduced number of disciplines.

The benefits of this change will be

• Staff being fairly rewarded for the responsibility and complexity of their role
• Reduced training periods if staff are responsible for a reduced range of activities
• Improved staff retention improving overall staff morale
• Improved recruitment opportunities
• Increased flexibility for appropriate use of skill-mix for the future as service requirements and volumes of work change
• More efficient use of NHS resource

Coupled with this there is an acknowledgement that, for the foreseeable future, the number of staff within the Patient Data Department will need to increase as individual registration processes take more time to complete. This means that there will be more posts within the proposed new structure than the present structure soredeployment or redundancy for any member of staff is not anticipated.

3Existing line management structure (posts that may be affected shown in bold)

Patient Data Manager (1WTE, Band 6)

Assistant Managers Senior Patient Data OfficersScreening Manager

1.65 WTE, Band 53 WTE, Band 31 WTE, Band 5

(incl. 1 current vacancy)

Patient Data OfficersPatient Data AssistantsScreening Officers

11 WTE, Band 22 WTE, Band 11.6 WTE, Band 2

(incl. 1 current vacancy)

4Proposed new line management structure (posts that may be affected shown in bold)

Patient Data (PD) Manager (1 WTE, Band 6)

Assistant ManagersScreening Manager

1.65 WTE, Band 51 WTE, Band 5

Screening

1.6 WTE, Band 2

Team Leaders Senior PD Officers PD Officers PD Assistants

2 WTE, Band 4 7 WTE, Band 3 6 WTE, Band 22 WTE, Band 1

(plus funding for 2 additional posts at Band 2/3)

Once consultation is complete and feedback has been considered final detailed Job Descriptions, Person Specifications and Effort Questionnaires for each role will be circulated. However, for consultation to be meaningful the proposed job roles have been summarised below (descriptions do not relate to screening team).

Band 1 Postal and filing duties

Band 2All areas of work relevant to the processing and transfer of medical records and data entry

Band 3 Processing of patient registrations and patient removals from a variety of sources.

Band 4 Day to day planning, organisation and supervision of Band 1, 2 and 3 staff and work items.

Band 5Line management responsibility for all staff Bands 1-4. Day to day management of Patient Data Department

Band 6Overall responsibility of management of Patient Data Department, service development and strategic development.

5Consultation process

The consultation process will cover a four-week time period and will begin following a meeting to be held on Tuesday 15 July 2008when this paper will be presented to the Patient Data Department. This will provide an opportunity for staff to seek initial clarifications and ask any questions. Julie Cooper, General Manager, Denise Williams, Patient Data Manager, Tony Hewitt, Senior HR Advisor and Ann Price, Unison representative, will all be present at this meeting.

Staff will then be asked to give feedback on the proposal to any one of the above, either in writing or by e-mail (contact details listed below). In addition to this Julie Cooper, Denise Williams, Tony Hewitt and Ann Price will be available on 18 July 2008to meet with staff individually to discuss the changes in relation to their own circumstances. This can be arranged by contacting Helen Bond on 0117 9002559 or by e-mail . You may bring a Trade Union Representative or a friend not acting in a legal capacity if you wish.

Following the consultation period and having considered feedback a final proposal or a revised consultation paper (if changes to the initial proposal are significant) will be issued.

Julie Cooper

General Manager

Avon Primary Care Support Agency

Denise Williams

Patient Data Manager

Avon Primary Care Support Agency

Tony Hewitt

Senior HR Advisor

Bristol Primary Care Trust

Ann Price

Unison Representative

6Implementation process

The final proposal will be issued with an individual letter being sent to each member of staff that is affected by the organisational change. Job Descriptions, Person Specifications and Effort Questionnairesfor the new posts will accompany the letter along with application/expression of interest forms, and an outline of the process for appointment.

Prior to open competition all posts will be ring-fenced. This means that only staff from Patient Data who are affected by the change may apply for them. To apply for individual posts staff must:

• Fulfil the Person Specification for the post
• Currently hold a post either one pay band higher or lower than the new post

Staff may apply for more than one post and will be given approximately fourweeks in which to apply for posts (where there are specific circumstances such as long-term sick adjustments can be made). A full application form will need to be completed where the post applied for is a Band higher than the current post held. Following this, individual, formal interviews (with appropriate tests) will take place with selection being determined as quickly as possible to avoid any unnecessary anxiety or uncertainty. Where staff apply for a post on the same Band as their current post a simple expression of interest form only will be sufficientand this will be followed by an informal interview.

Interviews will be conducted by Julie Cooper, Denise Williams and Tony Hewitt and will take place in the following order:

Band 4

Band 3

Band 2

7 Timescales

The draft timescales for Implementation are listed below but it should be noted that these will change if there is a requirement for a further consultation period as the final proposal is significantly changed.

Draft Timetable

Launch of consultationTuesday 15 July 2008

Individual meetings for staff, if requestedFriday 18 July 2008

Deadline for feedback from consultationWednesday 13 August

2008

Final proposal and individual letters issued to staffTuesday 26 August 2008

Applications to be submitted byFriday19September 2008

Interviews Monday 29 September –

Wednesday 1 October 2008

Appointments confirmedASAP after interviews

Implementation of new structureMonday 20 October 2008

Julie Cooper

General Manager

Avon Primary Care Support Agency

15 July 2008

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