APPROVED

NHS GRAMPIAN

Minute of the Staff Governance Committee

held on Tuesday 19th August 2014 at 10.45 am

in CLAN, Westburn Road

Present:

Mr Terry Mackie, Board Member (Chair)

Mrs Sharon Duncan, Employee Director

Mr Mike Scott, Board Member

Cllr Bill Howatson, Chairman

Mr David Anderson, Board Member

Cllr Anne Robertson, Board Member

Dr Lynda Lynch, Board Member

In Attendance:

Mr Richard Carey, Chief Executive

Dr Annie Ingram, Director of Workforce

Mr Simon Shemilt, Medical Workforce Manager

Mrs Morag Hives, Head of Service, Occupational Health

Mr Steven Lindsay, Full Time Partnership Representative

Mrs Susan Coull, Head of HR

Mr Richard Morrison, Head of Service, HR Service Centre

Mr Chris Morrice, Information Governance Manager, for Item 31/14 a only

Ms Pamela Gowans, Head of Aberdeenshire CHP for item 39/14 c only

Ms Angie Wood, Area Manager for item 39/14 c only

Mr Andrew Wood, Risk Management Advisor (Health and Safety) for Item 39/14 d only

Mrs Diane Annand, HR Team Leader (Minute taker)

Mr Derek O’Sullivan, Assistant HR Manager (observer)

Item / Subject / Action
29/14 / Apologies
Apologies were received fromMr Keith Thomson, Head of Health and Safety;Prof Gillian Needham, Postgraduate Medical Dean, NES; Mrs Anne Inglis,Head of Organisational Development; Ms Laura McDonald, Health and Safety Partnership Representative and Ms Gerry Lawrie, Workforce Planning & Redesign Manager.
30/14 / Minute of meeting held on 20th May 2014
The Minute was approved as an accurate record.
Action Log
NMAHP Performance Reference Group – the planned meeting on 1 August 2014 to discuss the remit had not taken place therefore required to be rescheduled.
Guidance/training on effective report and minute writing – action being undertaken by Learning and Development. An update will be sought. / DiA
DiA
31/14 / Matters Arising
  1. Access for Hospital Chaplains to appropriate information
Dr Ingram reminded the Committee that there had been a previous discussion regarding access of Chaplains to information regarding patient location. On further investigation, it had become apparent that NHS Grampian could not approve the request, as it was contrary to UK and European data protection legislation. She introduced Mr Morrice, Information Governance Manage to provide more detailed information.
Mr Morrice, explained that under the Data Protection Act (which enacts a European Directive) patient information was classed as sensitive data and access to it required explicit consent. Further Chaplains were not defined as health professionals as designated in the Act, indeed were specifically excluded within the European Directive. He explained that access to consented information was provided through a real time Boxi report from PMS, which listed patients who wished to have access to the chaplaincy service. The Information Commissioners Office had reiteratedtheir position that Chaplains do not need to have full and free access to PMS in order to fulfil their remit had not changed.
Mr Carey stated that if legislation did not allow the requested access then it was very clear. Cllr Howatson explained that the Spiritual Care Committee had discussed inviting the Information Commissioners Office to meet with the Committee, as the Chaplains had thought it would be useful. Mr Morrice explained that no contact had been made to extend this invite, which would be done by Laura Gray.
In response to Dr Lynch, Mr Morrice explained that the position of status quo referred to the legal position. Dr Lynch raised if steps were being taken to ensure that the protocol of asking for consent was being adhered to. Dr Ingram stated that the admission documentation was currently being reviewed and she had been reassured that training would be given.
Mrs Duncan acknowledged that due to the European legal position, local actions had been exhausted. Dr Ingram responded that if the Chaplains became a registered profession then the UK Government would need to seek a legislative change from Europe, therefore any change was beyond local control.
Mr Morrice stated that he was not aware of any other Health Board who allowed direct access to PMS for Chaplains. Mr Mackie confirmed that current practice would continue. It was agreed that if the Information Commissioners Office met with the Spiritual Care Committee that the Staff Governance Committee did not require to be involved and no further action would be taken by the Committee.
31/14 /
  1. Recruitment 2020
Mrs Coull outlined and displayed a number of recruitment initiatives:
  • a Workforce Sourcing Group had been established which had determined that one solution does not fit all types of jobs.
  • development of a library of material, working with the internal Graphic Design department.
  • attendance at Recruitment Fairs.
  • through receiving feedback that potential applicants did not understand the roles, the development of leaflets to explain in bullet points the role. Examples were Healthcare Support Worker Domestic Assistant and Nursing Auxiliary; Payroll Officer; and the newest General ITU for a targeted approach at a conference.
  • a stand to display a poster and leaflets in ARI for Domestic vacancies to target potential candidates from the footfall.
  • a larger banner which had been displayed on the side of the RoyalCornhillHospital on Westburn Road advertising Nursery staff vacancies, from which five substantive and Bank appointments had been made.
  • the use of employee stories – a Nursing Auxiliary who used to be a Bingo caller now moving on to do nurse training.
  • advertising on NHS Grampian vans with target adverts e.g. Aberdeenshire vacancies on a particular route in Aberdeenshire.
  • considering advertising on buses e.g. advertising the opportunity to work while you study on the Garthdee buses.
  • pull up banners which fit in a car boot saying ‘Join the NHS Grampian Team’.
  • use of Social Media with a Facebook page, adverts on Facebook and Twitter. A job of the week can be highlighted and the number of ‘hits’ monitored to gauge success. Northsound radio advert was used to advertise the Union Square recruitment day.
  • a film aimed at attracting people to consider a career as a healthcare assistant had been produced using NHS Grampian staff, with actors as patients. This was being used to support recruitment, including on the Board’s Facebook page, internet and through scanning the icon on recruitment leaflets. A further film was being produced with the aim of attracting applicants to the area in which four staff will be interviewed and images of what NHS Grampian are proud of e.g. HealthVillage and social activities in the region.
  • the value for money of print media was actively considered for every post and where it was felt that this would be valuable, this was still approved, but many candidates look for posts on line.
  • use of LinkedIn to target individuals to highlight a vacancy was being investigated and given a link to the film thus a form of head hunting.
  • business cards to take to conferences e.g. Emergency Medicine conference in Hong Kong.
Mr Morrison explained that as thecurrent process from resignation to commencement of new employee was around 18 weeks or longer, the recruitment process had been reviewed and a number of areas targeted for improvement:
  • implementation of an automated Vacancy Management Process, with e-mail alerts to Finance and HR for sign off. This had been introduced in Aberdeenshire and the Acute Sector was next. With the automated process the Job Description is provided from the beginning thus avoiding delays at the end of the process when Recruitment are waiting for this to be supplied by the manager.
  • advertisement of all posts internally and externally at the same time, introduced in May 2013, had seen an increase in applicants.
  • launch of Recruitment intranet pages to provide tips to manager e.g. set interview date at the time of advert.
  • reduction in the number of job ready individuals without a start date.
  • improvements at the conditional offer stage through work to eliminate paper with the development of an online health pre-employment screening; recruitment dashboard to check the progress with health screening; online references; and SMS texting from September 2014. There was a 90% target of the preferred candidate having a start date agreed within 21 days of being offered the post. This was potentially quite ambitious with the current turnaround for a PVG check as 14 days.
In response to Mr Mackie, Mr Morrison explained that recruitment can commence as soon as someone indicates they are retiring, if the case made to Scrutiny Panel is reasonable. Dr Ingram reminded that replacement may not always be on a like for like basis and that work was ongoing with NES to better match trainees to consultant vacancies, whilst still complying with the prescribed recruitment process.
Mr Carey stated that what had been displayed was very impressive however he wished assurance that it was delivering outputs. Mrs Coull responded that the Union Square event had been very successful with 60 applications for Nursing Auxiliary vacancies but yet the RCN Conference did not yield any applications. Dr Ingram stated that there would be a period of review with a report later in the year to the Committee.
Mrs Coull outlined that more work with Schools was being undertaken to promote professions and with NorthEastScotlandCollege to tailor courses.
Dr Lynch highlighted the need for employee stories to come across strongly in leaflets and that being aware of competitors would be beneficial e.g. beauty and retail. Ms Hives highlighted that we may be missing some children as work experience placements were from age 16, whilst other companies were from age 14.
In response to Cllr Howatson, Dr Ingram stated that supplying paper applications at pick up points could occur but was better if applications could be completed online as this added to workload.
Cllr Howatson suggested advertising on Scotrail to attract students. Dr Ingram stated that any post exposes the individual to opportunities in the NHS that they may not have thought of e.g. engineering.
Mrs Duncan highlighted that a Senior Charge Nurse had recruited from another wards advert as there was more than one appointable candidate. Dr Ingram explained this was the concept of the block recruitment to ensure an adequate supply. / SC/RM
32/14 /
  1. Implementation group on Nursing Resource Utilisation
Dr Ingram outlined the immediate investment that NHS Grampian had approved to invest in additional nurse recruitment to increase nursing establishment. From the uncommitted monies an allocation had since been made to the Neonatal Unit, ahead of the second Challenge Workshop, planned for October 2014. Dr Ingram explained that this decision had been taken outwith the agreed process, due to the urgent clinical situation within the Neonatal Unit, but had involved a sub-group of NRUIG members, including Elinor Smith,Alan Sharp and Amanda Croft. Cllr Robertson stated that safety was the priority therefore she was not concerned about the decision making process not being followed, however, she was concerned that the area had not highlighted this previously. It was important that services were made aware that if they were not upfront, open and transparent about issues then it was difficult for the Nursing Resource Utilisation Group to assist them. Dr Ingram explained that the Neonatal unit had asked for additional investment but that they had been asked, following the April Challenge meeting to provide further information for the October workshop. The additional staffing approved will bring the establishment in line with additional resources authorised by Mr Carey two years ago, which had not been actioned at that time. Other areas that identified staffing concerns, but had been asked for further work, included paediatric theatres, maternity services, health visiting, ward 7 at Dr Gray’s Hospital and the Links Unit. These are due to be discussed at the Challenge Workshop in October 2014.
Dr Lynch emphasised the need to have a strategic planning process across all staff groups and a clear and consistent process to avoid future issues. Dr Ingram responded that the NRUIG oversees that process for nursing, the issues within the Neonatal unit had a degree of urgency in relation to the clinical demands on the service at that time and there was a need to be able to respond to emerging situations. The circumstances had been that it would not have been clinically safe to leave matters until the next meeting on October 2014.
Cllr Robertson stated that there was a range of additional work required including a review of nurse banks, erostering, use of toolkits that would be brought together as a package and presented to the Board.
In response to Mr Anderson, Dr Ingram explained that the initial work of the group was to agree what the required baseline establishment is and to use this as a basis for future investment decisions.
Well Informed
34/14 / Staff Experience
  1. iMatter Implementation Plan
Dr Ingram reminded the Committee that iMatter, a tool developed by Scottish Government to capture staff experiences, had been discussed by the Committee in August 2013 as part of the wider workstream of improving the experience of staff. Dr Ingram referred to the distributed paper, which provided a high level of detail, and suggested that a Project Board was required to take forward implementation, reporting to the Committee as necessary. Dr Ingram stated that due to the potential organisational capacity to take forward the outcomes of the improvement cycle tool, it would have been preferable to delay implementation in order to undertake some preparatory work, however, Scottish Government had been clear on the requirement of Boards to begin the three year implementation from November 2014. The distributed Project Plan proposed commencement within the corporate directorates. Mrs Duncan outlined that as soon at the iMatter cycle commenced that teams would participate annually thereafter. The Committee agreed to the formation of a Project Board and the Project Plan. The Committee would undertake an overseeing role.
  1. Staff Survey
Mrs Coull reported that the Staff Survey will begin on Monday 25 August 2014, with every member of staff receiving an e-mail from Capita (the survey provider) over a three day period, inviting them to complete the survey, providing a password link enabling the member of staff to save and revisit. The way forward had been agreed, nationally, to avoid gaming. Assurances had been received on the governance of the provision of NHS Grampian nhs.net e-mail addresses. There would be individual chasing by Capita along with the ability to apply in paper (also sent to those on long term sick and maternity leave) or through a free phone number. 30% was the minimum response rate expected although 50% was the target and 61% ideal.
In response to Mr Mackie, Dr Ingram confirmed that iMatter would eventually supersede the staff survey. Dr Ingram raised the data protection concerns of providing work e-mail addresses to a 3rd party. Mrs Coull assured that confidentiality would be maintained and e-mail addresses deleted after the closing date of the survey. Mrs Duncan stated that if staff think their response is not confidential she predicted a decrease in participation. Mrs Coull stated that the response to such concerns would be to complete the survey on paper. Dr Lynch suggested that a statement could be included to outline that gaming was not acceptable as individual feedback was sought.
  1. eESS Implementation
Dr Ingram reminded of the decision of NHS Grampian not to proceed without a functioning interface with the Payroll system, which Payroll colleagues had thought would be no earlier than May 2015. Across NHS Scotland a further three teaching Boards and Ayrshire and Arran had taken the same stance, although some had been given a date for data migration. NHS Grampian had not been given a date as there was a wish to migrate data only once to avoid employing staff to update changes to data post migration, although as much preparation as possible was being done. The Committee would be informed if the national position changed. / SC
35/14 / Partnership & Staff Governance
  1. Staff Governance Action Plan 2014/15
Mrs Duncan advised that the aim was for Sector ownership of the Action Plan. This would be reiterated to Sectors to enable the gathering of examples in January/February 2015 to populate the Action Plan. Mrs Duncan stated that there was a need to record actions that were being carried out making the connection to Staff Governance standards.
Dr Lynch suggested that the objectives should be SMART objectives with realistic measurements and timelines and for future plans be clear how the objectives had delivered change. Dr Ingram agreed that the plan contents should be recognised by Sectors.
Appropriately Trained and Developed
36/14 / Learning and Development
  1. eKSF and L&D update
Referring to the written report, Mr Shemilt highlighted that the FY1/FY2 induction has went well and the outcome of evaluation data would be presented at the next meeting.