Provision of the Workforce Shared Services to NHS Nottingham City
Service Level Agreement (SLA)
1st September 2010 31st March 2011
Provision of the Workforce Shared Services to NHSNottinghamCity
Service Level Agreement (SLA)
1.Status of Agreement and Parties involved
This agreement details the nature and required amount of Workforce Shared Services to be provided to NHSNottinghamCity (“the client”) for the period 1st September 2010 to 31st March 2011.
This agreement reflects the commitment by the service provider Workforce Shared Services (hosted by NHS Nottinghamshire County) and service recipient NHS Nottingham City including Citihealth NHS Nottingham (“the client”) to an ongoing business relationship in respect of the procurement and provision of Workforce Shared Services. It is not legally binding, nor is it a contract, but it does represent a clear undertaking by both parties to carry out a full range of services to the quality and level detailed within this agreement.
2.Background
The content of this Service Level Agreement has been defined based on the recommendations from the Workforce Review carried out by Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) in 2009, which was accepted by NHS Nottingham City Board. The broad themes of these were strengthening the business focus of the Workforce Function to meet the distinctiveneeds and service expectations of the client organisations.
Based on the assessment carried out by PWC, 28% of the Service is available to NHSNottinghamCity.
3.Service Aim
The aim of the Workforce Shared Service (“the Service”) is to provide an effective and operational service with a strong customer focus and a results oriented approach which supports the strategic workforce aims of its client organisations.
4.Quality Statement
The Workforce Shared Service will provideagreed functions that fully meets the requirements of its customers at all times.The Service aims to achieve a high level of client and customer satisfaction and will engage with clients systematically to seek feedback on performance and work together to address any concerns. The Service will constantly review and improve on its services to ensure that all functions are performing in a cost effective and productive way.
The Service will be subject to an Equality Impact Statement.
We are working towards four quality principles across the whole Service
- Engaging with our clients to support them in identifying their needs and establish preferred options
- Continuous improvement: identifying best practice and cost efficiencies.
- Ensuring that our staff have the right skills and competencies to deliver a high quality service.
- Adopting Green principles to reduce energy use, optimising resources, recycling and minimising waste.
5.Quality Control and Monitoring of SLA
This SLA will be monitored by the Workforce Shared Services Management Team
Quarterly meetings will be held between the Workforce Shared Services Management team and the client representatives (e.g. Director of Nursing Quality, Acting Chief Operating Officer and Assistant Directors of HR)
The purpose of these meetings will be to review the performance of the Shared Service against thisService Level Agreement, e.g.
- Workforce information is relevant, accurate and presented in line with agreed schedules
- Recruitment is carried out in line with agreed service specifications and schedules
- Evaluation of L&D interventions will be reviewed
- Existing service provision reviewed to ensure alignment with business need and budgets
- Customer feedback
- Future developments and innovations.
The Shared Services Management team will set performance targets which will be measured and monitored internally. Day to day enquiries will be dealt with the Service managers – see below.
6.Client obligations to support this SLA
The successful implementation of this SLA is dependent upon effective working partnership between the client organisation and the Shared Service team. Some generic obligations on behalf of the client are
- Attendance at quarterly review meetings to review progress of thisSLA
- Enabling access to key stakeholders within client organisations
- Updating the Shared Services Team with changes to policies, procedures and strategic HR initiatives
- Allowing Shared Services staff access to facilities within client organisations on site as necessary at no cost, e.g. intranet, facilities, venues
7.Workforce Shared Services Management Team
Head of Workforce Information01623 673722Workforce Development Manager01623 673724
Workforce Systems Manager0115 8831779Learning & Development Team Leader0115 8831788
HR Transactional Services Manager01623 673697Learning & Development Team Leader01158831814
8.Services to be provided as part of Service Level Agreement
The following table describes the services to be provided as part of the SLA, describes the key tasks and outlines specific client obligations.
Description of Services / Detail / Specific Client obligations ( in addition to Section 6)Workforce Information
Collation of workforce information, e.g. establishment, equality and diversity data, vacancies, and sickness absence, to support strategic HR and the formulation of policy and procedures.
Provide workforce information at agreed intervals and to an agreed format at Organisational and Directorate level for performance reports to Trust Boards and senior management teams.
Provide information for inclusion in management reports relating to e.g. recruitment and selection, processes and costs / This includes
- Provide timely and accurate information.
- Work with Trusts to develop joint capacity and capability to produce reports on workforce information
- Support the workforce planning process annually and ensure appropriate central and regional returns are made
- Provide staff lists in preparation for NHS Staff Opinion Survey and other engagement exercises
To give two weeks notice of changes to requirements or additional requirements
To agree the format of performance reports
To provide a schedule for reporting requirements with adequate notice
Systems Administration
Provide and administer workforce information system (ESR) including updating the database in relation to staff changes in organisation and/or location of work
Liaison with financial services to ensure that the information is accurate and up to date.
Provide facilitation to Trusts, or parts of Trusts, in the implementation and benefits realisation of ESR in agreed timescales.
Provide facilitation to Trusts, or parts of Trusts, in the piloting and implementation of e learning in agreed timescales
Maintenance of e-KSF system
Maintenance of On Line Management (OLM)
system / Maintenance of ESR database
- Management of the Payroll SLA
- Administration of change forms which require an update to the ESR Work-Structure.
- Creation of new “organisations” as required, matching the cost centre to the General Ledger.
Provide advice and support on use of system, new starter set up and issue of passwords. / Keep the Service advised of any changes to policy and procedure that affect provision.
Provide access to other ESR users, e.g. Finance, to ensure compatibility of staff establishment
Provide internal project support to facilitate the implementation of projects.
Develop an e-learning strategy
Provide relevant internal staff with Smartcards to facilitate their use of systems
Human Resources Advice and Support
Lead on the implementation of the Childcare & Carer Strategy.
Act as a source of expertise on current developments and legislation e.g. policy change, statutory leave and pay; childcare provision; tax benefits; etc.
Provide support Managers and employees on all issues relating to Childcare & Care.
Monitor and review pensions scheme information and amendments
To co-ordinate and advise on the obligations in respect of the Pensions Choice exercise / Provide clear information, advice and expertise on matters relating to Maternity, Adoption and Paternity rights, policy and procedure.
Provide Pension information to the organisations, managers and staff within the PCTs, ensuring they are kept informed of any changes/relevant information.
Ensure that staff are aware of the benefit of the scheme and the options available to them to increase the final pension. / Enable access to relevant information, e.g. Payroll and personal identifiers
Contribute to SBS conference calls
Recruitment and Selection
Provide the transactional support to recruiting managers to facilitate the recruitment & selection process.
Provide Recruitment & Selection training for managers
Administer the Criminal Records Bureau process / The Service will offer advice on the recruitment process & timescales, provide systems and administration to support advertising, shortlisting, interviewing, offer stage and equal opportunities monitoring
Recruitment & Selection full day courses and half days refresher courses provided on a regular basis. / Recruiting Managers to
Ensure they have attended the appropriate training.
Ensure appropriate finance & vacancy control approvals
Ensure all appropriate paperwork prepared, job description, person specification, RP1 & advert and KSF outline.
Deal with telephone queries from and provide feedback to applicants
Comply with requirements of the recruiting manageras outlined in the recruitment policy.
The management, delivery and administration of education, training and learning opportunities.
Work in partnership to scope the development needs of all staff in relation to statutory, mandatory, ‘essential to role’ and further training requirements, which fall within the remit of the SLA.
Design, deliver and evaluate learning interventions using a variety of methods including e-learning opportunities, workbooks etc.
Provide training event management and a course administration service.
To liaise with partner organisations across the health community with regard to scoping of training needs for workforce development planning.
Produce information on services provided by the L&D team on a quarterly basis through the provision and maintenance of OLM database..
Provision of training to include;
Mandatory training
Skills for Life
Specialist training
Following agreement of an annual service specification.This will be in collaboration with the client according to their policies and workforce plans.
To ensure a robust system and process for the management and co-ordination of regional funding opportunities e.g. Joint Investment Framework (JIF) and Learning Beyond Registration (LBR).
To co-ordinate and support the commissioningof training from external providers as appropriate
To support associate trainers (specialist staff within the client organisation who provide training programmes in house)
To provide an online booking system through the Learning and Development website / Organise and co-ordinate specified training events/courses including:
- Advertising course information and training dates electronically via the website
- Distribution of course/event materials electronically via the website
- Event management
- Booking administration
- Issuing joining instructions
- Issuing attendance registers electronically to trainers
- Monitoring uptake of courses
- Issuing attendance certificates
- Recording attendance and ‘Did not Attend’(DNA) activity and notifying line managers of non attendance where appropriate
- Ensure all training needs are fed into the workforce development planning process across the health community.
- Update and maintain the On Line Management (OLM) database ensuring all training activity is recorded and staff learning records are kept up to date
- Maintenance of log in facility and issue of passwords to staff.
- To provide accurate and timely information relating to learning and development activities to an agreed schedule
- An annual trawl of training needs will take place from September to December each year. To include both in house and externally required programmes of learning.
- Collation of training needs to take place Jan – Feb.
- To submit training needs for regional funding once agreed by the organisation.
- Production of an annual service specification in March for in house training delivery.
- To ensure contracted programmes with the Universities are agreed and authorised on behalf of the organisation.
- To ensure invoices for learning programmes are paid in a timely manner.
- To ensure regional funded is claimed quarterly to fund the courses paid for.
- Ensuring quality control processes and relevant funding is in place prior to commissioning decisions are taken.
- To establish a process of feedback to evaluate the effectiveness of external providers.
- To offer peer support from highly qualified trainers
- To establish an agreement (code of good practice) between the associate trainer and the Learning and Development Team.
Ensure that all staff have an annual performance development review and personal development plan.
Provide the Learning and Development team with a mandatory training matrix, updated annually.
Provide the Learning and Development team with any new policies that have been ratified by the organisation.
Ensure that staff are released to access training and advise of cancellations with adequate notice.
Ensure that education and training / access to learning resources are available in an equitable basis.
Develop an e-learning strategy
Support staff to access training and meet the requirements of the Skills Pledge and any subsequent agreements.
To inform the Learning and Development Team when staff have attended training not co-ordinated by the team. This is to ensure all learning is inputted into the system.
Provide a schedule for reporting requirements with adequate notice.
To collaborate and agree following negotiation with the annual service specification for In house training delivery and the regional funding templates.
To support commissioning decisions as appropriate.
To ensure associate trainers adhere to the agreement of good practice.
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