HUMAN RESOURCES FORUM

NOTE OF MEETING HELD ON 8 DECEMBER 03

STIRLING ROYAL INFIRMARY

Present:Billy Parker, AMICUS – Chair

John Reid – Medical Director – ForthValley

Graeme Summers – ForthValley Acute

Gordon Walker – NHS Lanarkshire

Michael Fuller – AMICUS

Lex Gold – NHS Lanarkshire

Julie McNutt – CDNA

Graham Pirie – SOCP

Patricia McNally – CSP

John Callaghan – NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Eileen Moir – NHS Borders

David Esplin – BMA

Elizabeth Stow – SOR

Susan Russell – GMB

Lynne Khindria – HR Director West Lothian

Gillian Lenaghan – RCM

Malcolm Iredale – Finance Director – Highland NHS Board

George Brechin – Fife NHS

In Attendance:Jacqui Jones – Partnership Support Unit (PSU)

Diane Murray – PSU

Claire Brennan – PSU

Sharon Duncan – PSU

Alex Killick – PSU

Ryan Gunn – PSU

Shona Cowan – Centre for Change and Innovation

1.Apologies

Mark Butler, Lindsey Ferries, Gordon Wenham, Gerry Marr, Jim Cameron, Alistair Brown and Dougie Lockhart.

2.Minute of 6 October

2.1Elizabeth Stow raised an issue over conflicting information that she had received from the Central Legal Office (CLO). The information that they had passed was contradictory to that contained in the recent Working Times HDL previously agreed by the HRF. Members of the HRF were concerned that this should be happening and it was agreed that the PSU would submit a letter to the CLO stating that the content of this particular HDL wasagreed – in partnership with all interested parties including the CLO – before subsequently being issued. The PSU would also seek further clarification of the legal standpoint from the CLO.

Action: PSU

2.2With regards to item 8 of the previous minute (Performance Incentive Framework Consultation Document). PSU would go back to Health Finance seeking further clarification and guidance on the issue and voice the groups concerns over the development of policy without proper partnership.

Action: PSU

2.3The HRF agreed that PSU would write to the Minister ratifying the decision to make SPRIG a subgroup of HRF.

Action: PSU

2.4The minute was then agreed as an accurate record of the previous meeting.

3.Balanced Working Lives

3.1In item 3, the HRF were given a short presentation by Shona Cowan from the Centre for Change and Innovation Unit on the outcome of the Balanced Working Lives Programme.

3.2In summarising, Shona reported that:

  • The good practice workbook was being developed and would be available on the Internet and hardcopy
  • PAF Indicators were being developed
  • NHS Boards were taking the lead on strategic planning of flexibility.
  • HR Directors will be responsible for ensuring that staff are competent in the use of PIN Guidelines
  • The Scottish Executive Health Department, in partnership with NHS Chairs and Chief Executives, will review the content of current management development programmes
  • The Balanced Working Lives programme is to be developed and will continue to be offered to the service

3.3The only question arising from open discussion was that of transferability of skills to other areas. Shona reported that the feedback received on this issue was very positive.

4.Part-Time Workers Regulations

4.1 The purpose of this item was for the HRF to discuss and agree upon the content of the draft HDL. The HRF agreed to feed all comments back to Alex at a later date.

Action: HRF Members

4.2On a more general point, Alex informed the HRF that an Employment Law Sub-Group had also been set-up to look at the issue. To date the group has met twice.

4.3The discussion then moved on to the issue of how to respond to the recent UNISON newsletter on Part-Time Workers. There are major implications involved in the release of this information by UNISON and it was felt that the HRF should highlight these concerns in their letter. In addition the letter should also specify that the content was agreed under HRF and partnership working.

4.4There were a number of other issues arising from this agenda item:

  • The HDL amends the circular previously circulated by the DTi. This needs to be highlighted to the CLO.
  • Financial costs and implications
  • The additional workload of finance staff
  • A clear definition of what is meant by contractors
  • PSU have requested information from all HR Departments on the financial implications of implementing the scheme
  • PSU will then submit a minute of recommendation to the Minister seeking his approval in the way forward.

Action: PSU

5.LOW PAY AGREEMENT

5.1This agenda item was raised for information only. However, it soon transpired that the Staff Side representation of the HRF were not content with the wording of the letter from Mark Butler. A number of issues arose from the subsequent discussion:

  • Imperative that all future HDLs’ with a financial implication are run passed the HRF before being issued
  • The text in the letter should refer to the previous agreement
  • The wording in the letter needs to be clarified
  • Partnership process not followed
  • Issue over the process of future material

5.2It was agreed that PSU would investigate whether the letter had been issued and also to look at ways of avoiding any future letters or HDLs’ being circulated without first seeking the agreement of the HRF

Action: PSU

6.STAFF GOVERNANCE

(See attached presentation)

Action: PSU to re-issue list.

7.HEALTH CARE CHAPLAINS

7.1The briefing paper at item 7 was put together following a request from AMICUS to review the employment status of this group. As things stand Chaplains are not employed by NHS organisations. AMICUS are currently campaigning to have this situation changed so that Chaplains are directly employed by the NHS. In addition, the Church of Scotland now claim that the funding that they receive from the NHS does not cover the costs of employing Chaplains and the current situation is now no longer sustainable.

7.2In response, the HRF have agreed to set-up a short-life working group, chaired by Claire Brennan, to look at and report back on the issue. All nominations to join the group should be passed to Claire.

Action: HRF Members

8.PARTNERSHIP CONFERENCE - 23 JANUARY 2004

8.1Jacqui reported that the date and venue for the conference have all been agreed. The programme was in the process of being finalised. Jacqui commented that the aim was to invite, among others, middle managers to the conference. HRF and SPF members will be encouraged to chair the individual workshop sessions. Jacqui would like to have the programme finalised before Christmas and invited any comments from the HRF.

Action: HRF Members

9.PARTNERSHIP SUPPORT UNIT

9.1Another general update from Jacqui on the structure of PSU. Ryan Gunn has been employed as project manager. The unit are currently undergoing a recruitment process for 2 additional members of the administrative team. The admin team will provide the secretariat for the both the SPF and HRF as well as supporting all the sub-groups.

9.2The team will be relocating to Larbert early in the new-year. The admin team will remain in St. Andrews House in Edinburgh.

9.3The team are currently engaged in ongoing work in a number of areas:

  • ForthValley
  • Lothian Health Board
  • West Lothian
  • The Western Isles
  • Supporting the Staff Governance Working Group
  • Key performance indicators
  • Revamping the PSU website and collating ideas for a resource pack

10.SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPISTS

10.1A late item added to the agenda at the request of Michael Fuller. The purpose was to update the HRF on a report from the Whitley Council on the grading scheme for speech and language therapists. There has, as yet, been no joint agreement on the grading scheme. Michael then added there have been applications for posts within Yorkhill, ForthValley and North Glasgow all graded at Band 5. The issue arising from this is that the panel do not have the authority to grade these posts at this level, they can recommend only.

10.2The HRF agreed that Alex will speak to the Chair of North Glasgow, seek clarification and respond accordingly.

Action: Alex Killick

11.BRIEFING PAPER

11.1One question mark arising over out of hours. Jacqui will clarify and report back.

Action: Jacqui Jones

11.2The forum was invited to digest the briefing paper and submit comments to Alex.

Action: HRF

12.MINUTE OF PIN BOARD 10 NOVEMBER

12.1The minute of the Pin Board meeting presented to the HRF had not yet been finalised and should therefore still be considered as a draft.

12.2A quick summary of the minute concluded that:

  • Neil Piggott had agreed to join the PIN Board
  • PSU would approach someone from the Employee Directors group seeking an nomination to join the PIN Board
  • 5 Guidelines would be reviewed in the new-year. This would include the Family Friendly Guideline.
  • Secretariat Support had now passed from Garrick Wagner to Claire Brennan.

13.MINUTE OF SPRIG

13.1The HRF offered no comment on the draft minute.

14.MINUTE OF OSSIG

14.1A summary of the issues discussed at the last OSSIG meeting were as follows:

  • OSSIG are having their away-day in January to plan their work for the year and discuss to progress the OSSIG agenda. Suggested dates are 27 and 28 January
  • The group are currently reviewing the Violence and Aggression Projects. A working group has been set-up to discuss the findings.
  • Thelma McGuire has now left the group. Sharon Duncan is involved in identifying a replacement
  • Ewan Macdonald should be invited to join the HRF
  • There was not enough management input into OSSIG and the issue should be addressed
  • There were concerns raised over the way views from the HRF were being fed into OSSIG meetings. It was agreed to raise this item at the next meeting.

15. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

15.1 Pay Modernisation and Service redesign to be added to the agenda for the meeting on 3 February.

16. AOB

16.1 Stuart Gray, Chief Executive of Lothian University Hospitals Trust has resigned from the HRF. Jacqui has requested nominations for a possible replacement.

16.2 Jacqui is looking for a nomination from the HRF to sit on The Latter Years group. She will send the nomination to Neil Murray and Tricia Belbin.

16.3 Group to go over the work plan for 2004 at the next meeting.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the group will take place at 10.30am on Wednesday 3 February 2004 at the Conference Centre at Stirling Royal Infirmary.

Ryan Gunn

PSU

16 December 03

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